Political Tensions Over Congressional Pay Amid Shutdown
Senator Ed Markey from Massachusetts has blocked a proposal that aimed to suspend paychecks for Congress members until the current government shutdown is resolved.
Senator Rick Scott from Florida sought unanimous consent to pass a “no-budget, no-pay” measure during a Senate session on Thursday. However, Markey opposed this move. This debate on congressional salaries surfaces as numerous federal employees, including those working for Congress, continue to show up to work during the ongoing 37-day shutdown without pay.
In the midst of the discussion, Scott questioned Markey’s stance, saying, “If he’s going to defer paychecks, why won’t he allow my bill to pass that says we should defer paychecks for all of us until the government reopens? The right thing to do is open the government.”
Markey mentioned that he had called for the postponement of government payroll but acknowledged that not all Democrats have been vocal about the issue during the funding standoff.
Democratic Arizona State Senator Ruben Gallego remarked at the onset of the shutdown that it wasn’t feasible for members of Congress to forgo their salaries. When approached by a news outlet regarding his pay, Gallego expressed irritation, stating, “Are we going to do this again?”
Members of Congress earn a base salary of $174,000 annually, with higher pay for those in leadership roles, and their salaries are protected by the Constitution.
Markey also accused Republicans of “holding Americans’ health care hostage,” calling for negotiations on health care issues to address the unprecedented government shutdown.
Scott retorted that the Republicans would not consider Democratic proposals until a vote to reopen the government takes place. He pointed out that Markey has voted multiple times against straightforward bipartisan funding solutions.
“If we want to improve health care, it should be done on a bipartisan basis, and once the federal government takes office, we should sit down,” Scott added.
He continued, emphasizing the impact of the shutdown: “We can’t just shut down the government and not pay our troops, our TSA. Everyone isn’t getting paid, and we’re blocking food benefits for millions.”
Frustrations are mounting among Senate Republicans. They see Democrats as complacent toward extended funding lapses, which are starting to weigh heavily on voters.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune expressed concern, saying, “We had a clean continuing resolution to keep the government funded, but … they tried to take over the government and hold it hostage.” He critiqued the Democratic strategy as appeasing left-wing demands without addressing essential governance.
At 79, Markey has been serving in Congress since 1976 and is facing a tough challenge in the upcoming 2026 Democratic primary from Congressman Seth Moulton, who is advocating for generational change in politics.
