Politics and Policy

Constitutional Scholars Parse Pay Measure

Updated Jan. 23, 2013 8:30 p.m. ET

WASHINGTON—A House measure that would tie lawmakers' pay to their passage of a budget—part of a bill passed Wednesday to suspend the federal debt ceiling—drew skepticism from constitutional scholars who said it might violate the 27th Amendment.

The amendment states that "no law, varying the compensation for the services of the Senators and Representatives, shall take effect, until an election of Representatives shall have...

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