Senate Republicans are pushing for lawmakers to feel the financial impact during the ongoing government shutdown, which has now reached its third day. Unlike many federal employees, Congress members typically receive their pay even when the government is closed. However, Senator Bernie Moreno from Ohio has a different idea: he proposes taxing lawmakers who collect their salaries during shutdowns.
Moreno intends to introduce legislation aimed at penalizing lawmakers who accept their paychecks while the government is stalled. He believes that if Congress fails to fulfill basic responsibilities, they really shouldn’t be entitled to their salaries. “Democrats like Hakeem Jeffries want to get paid for shutting down the government,” Moreno said, indicating his frustrations with the situation.
As the Senate prepares for another potential vote on a short-term funding extension—which is, unfortunately, expected to meet resistance from Senate Democrats—the impasse regarding the Obamacare subsidies continues to drag on. Moreno’s take is that if lawmakers aren’t doing their jobs, they should, at the very least, face some financial consequence.
On average, members of Congress earn about $174,000 annually, although this can vary based on leadership roles. Interestingly, the U.S. Constitution mandates that Congress receive pay regardless of government shutdowns, making it pretty tough to stop legislators from getting their salaries during such crises. It’s stated in Article 6 that Senate and House members should be compensated for their services, and the 27th Amendment further prevents any changes to their pay during their current term.
Moreno’s proposed bill seeks to circumvent these established rules by implementing a daily tax on lawmakers who continue to receive pay during ongoing session disruptions. As it stands, however, the resolution of this shutdown seems far off. Senate Democrats, under the leadership of Chuck Schumer, are steadfast in blocking GOP funding resolutions unless certain conditions regarding the Obamacare tax credit are met. Only a few Democrats have sided with Republicans on this issue so far, indicating a challenging road ahead for any resolution.
