Senate Unanimously Approves Resolution to Withhold Pay During Federal Shutdowns
Senators unanimously approved a resolution Thursday to withhold their pay during government shutdowns, an attempt to make federal closures financially painful for lawmakers after a string of record-breaking impasses in the past year.
Objective Facts
Senators adopted a resolution by unanimous consent on Thursday to withhold their own pay during government shutdowns. Led by GOP Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana, the resolution directs the secretary of the Senate to withhold pay from senators during a lapse in appropriations for one or more federal agencies or departments. The payments would be released after the shutdown comes to an end. It will take effect the day after the Nov. 3 general election and does not apply to the House. Two shutdowns in the past year created significant financial hardship for tens of thousands of federal workers, particularly at the Department of Homeland Security. The department reopened last month after a 76-day partial shutdown, the longest agency funding lapse in history. The DHS shutdown came just a few months after a 43-day lapse of the entire federal government, which was the longest such closure on record. For Democrats, voting yes costs nothing and signals solidarity with federal workers who bore the brunt of the shutdowns.
Left-Leaning Perspective
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer was bullish on the measure's prospects ahead of the vote. "Yes, I'm going to vote for it, and I think it has a lot of support," the New York Democrat said Wednesday. Sen. Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., said she has donated her paycheck during past shutdowns, including last fall to causes involving healthcare and the Meals on Wheels program. "I've always believed no Member of Congress should be paid if the government is shut down," she wrote on X on Wednesday night. "… I was glad to help advance @SenJohnKennedy's legislation to make sure no Senator is paid during a government shutdown." For Democrats, voting yes costs nothing and signals solidarity with federal workers who bore the brunt of the shutdowns. The Democratic approach emphasized shared sacrifice and alignment with the financial hardship experienced by federal workers during shutdowns. Notably, Democratic members also introduced their own versions, including H.R. 5792 by Rep. Frederica Wilson (D-FL) and H.R. 5802 by Rep. John Larson (D-CT), suggesting the underlying principle has cross-party appeal. Left-leaning coverage did not significantly emphasize limitations of the measure or constitutional concerns. Because the 27th Amendment bars mid-session pay changes, any senator who votes for this rule today will not actually feel its financial bite until after the 2026 elections. Critics could reasonably argue the measure is more symbolic than consequential for the current Congress. This substantive critique was underplayed in mainstream Democratic messaging.
Right-Leaning Perspective
When the full government shutdown began in October amid a dispute over health care subsidies, Sen. Lindsey Graham proposed a constitutional amendment to require members to forfeit their paychecks when the government is closed. "If members of Congress had to forfeit their pay during government shutdowns, there would be fewer shutdowns and they would end quicker," Graham, R-S.C., said at the time. Senator Rodger Marshall (R-Kan.) offered his strong endorsement of the proposal, describing it as a strategic mechanism to exert necessary pressure on lawmakers. "I think anything we can do to put pressure on senators in this case to come to the table and make a deal is a good thing … We've seen the Democrats weaponize the situation where they withhold votes to support funding the government. I think it's one more tool in the toolbox," Marshall stated. Kennedy told reporters Wednesday that he pushed his measure to ensure there is "shared sacrifice" during shutdowns. He added that it does not go as far as he would like, but that it's a start. Republicans framed the resolution as a necessary enforcement mechanism to prevent Democrats from weaponizing shutdowns. Kennedy said he wanted to make the resolution effective immediately because he's "very concerned that my Senate colleagues on the Democratic side are going to try to shut down government yet again right before the elections to try to create chaos to affect the midterm elections." For Republicans who control the chamber, it is a chance to demonstrate fiscal accountability without breaking with the White House on any policy substance. Conservative coverage emphasized this as Democrats' responsibility for past shutdowns, particularly the healthcare subsidy dispute and border/immigration enforcement conflicts.
Deep Dive
Senators unanimously approved a resolution Thursday to withhold their pay during government shutdowns, an attempt to make federal closures financially painful for lawmakers after a string of record-breaking impasses in the past year. The bipartisan support for the measure comes at a time when federal closures have become longer and more frequent, frustrating lawmakers who say there should be punishment when Congress fails at its most basic legislative duty. The federal government was in a full or partial shutdown for more than 119 days between October 1, 2025, and May 1, 2026, according to Sen. John Kennedy's office, during which senators continued collecting their full salaries while federal employees missed paychecks. The constitutional constraint preventing immediate implementation—it is written to take effect after the November 2026 elections, a workaround designed to avoid conflict with the 27th Amendment, which prohibits changes to congressional compensation during the current session—creates a peculiar incentive structure where the current Senate faces no personal financial consequence, potentially undermining the deterrent effect. For Republicans who control the chamber, it is a chance to demonstrate fiscal accountability without breaking with the White House on any policy substance. For Democrats, voting yes costs nothing and signals solidarity with federal workers who bore the brunt of the shutdowns. This dynamic reveals why the measure achieved unanimity—it imposed no immediate cost on either party while providing symbolic value. However, the underlying disputes about shutdown causation remain unresolved: Republicans blame Democratic obstruction over healthcare subsidies and immigration policy, while Democrats emphasize shared responsibility for institutional dysfunction. Speaker Mike Johnson has not indicated whether the House will adopt a similar measure applied to its own members' salaries in the future. "We'll have to find out," he previously told reporters. "I mean, the House has some ideas on that as well, so we'll see what consensus we can build on." The House's uncertain response underscores the "very strong undercurrent of animosity among some of my friends in the House," Kennedy said, noting "It's quickly becoming like two kids fighting in the back of a minivan." The critical question forward is whether senators' rational incentives to avoid pay withholding post-November will actually materialize as behavioral change, or whether the measure remains primarily aspirational.