Cooper: Today Should be ‘Pay Freeze Eve’

June 30, 2025

HARRISBURG – For the third straight year, Rep. Jill Cooper (R-Westmoreland) is introducing legislation to suspend compensation to state officials when Harrisburg fails to pass a budget before July 1.

“It’s the final day of the fiscal year, and Harrisburg is no closer to a budget agreement than we were four months ago. It is my belief that as of tonight, members of the General Assembly and other officials should be held accountable for failing to meet this important deadline,” Cooper said. “More years than not, the budget is late, and our most essential functions, such as public safety, education, and programs for seniors and special needs populations, are at risk of being disrupted.”

Each February, the governor presents a plan during a special joint session of both the House of Representatives and Senate to begin budget discussions. Appropriations committees from each chamber then meet with officials from each state department and agency to review the use of funds. Legislation is then drafted that directs the overall spending number and how it is to be used. This budget cycle marks the 14th late budget in 21 years.

In previous years, Cooper joined several other members of the General Assembly who voluntarily did not accept their salary until the budget was passed.

Cooper’s proposal, House Bill 1682, provides that compensation of the governor, lieutenant governor and members of the General Assembly would be suspended during a budget impasse.

“Any logical and responsible person is looking at a process that begins in February and asks why the budget is always late. If this were a business setting, we would have been fired,” Cooper said. “It’s time that we, House members, senators and the administration, hold ourselves to the same standard.”

Representative Jill Cooper
55th Legislative District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Jordan Frei
724.875.8450
jfrei@pahousegop.com
RepJillCooper.com / Facebook.com/RepJillCooper