American federal workers shouldn't suffer alone. Pass a pay clause that would withhold congressional salaries if the government goes into default.

Here's the problem--The 27th Amendment, which states:

"No law, varying the compensation for the services of the Senators and Representatives, shall take effect, until an election of Representatives shall have intervened."

The 27th Amendment was proposed by James Madison and submitted for ratification in 1789 but not adopted until 1992). Its original intention was to prevent Congress from changing its pay while in session.

However, the recent government shutdown illustrates how problematic the 27th amendment actually is--in practice, the 27th Amendment allows Congress to continue to receive salary during governmental shutdown while their own aides, not to mention millions of federal workers, are furloughed or asked to work without pay.

Call on Congress to pass a new law so that in times of budgetary crisis, all Senators and Representatives will be forced to stand in solidarity with the American people.