Senate Freezes Pay During Government Shutdowns
The Senate has unanimously passed a resolution on Thursday, led by Senator John Kennedy from Louisiana, which puts a hold on senators’ salaries during any future government shutdowns.
This bipartisan effort aims to make federal closures financially uncomfortable for lawmakers, thus providing a stronger incentive for Congress to approve funding bills ahead of key deadlines. The move comes in response to a series of lengthy and frequent shutdowns, reflecting a growing belief that legislators should face real consequences when they fail to meet their funding obligations.
The resolution was adopted through a voice vote and is set to take effect right after the general election on November 3, 2026. Because of this timing, the new rules could come into play during any potential funding gaps at the end of the year, although they won’t be applicable to any shutdowns occurring before the current fiscal year concludes on September 30.
According to the resolution, the secretary of the Senate will hold senators’ salaries during any shutdowns affecting federal agencies, releasing the funds only after government funding is fully restored. This mechanism ensures that while senators don’t permanently lose their pay, they do face a delay in their income as long as the shutdown lasts. Kennedy noted the importance of creating a sense of “shared sacrifice” during these fiscal stand-offs.
Though Kennedy acknowledged that this proposal is a compromise and doesn’t fully align with his original goals, he views it as a hopeful step toward accountability. When asked why it doesn’t extend to the House of Representatives, he stuck to chamber protocols, explaining, “the House’s business is the House’s business.”
Kennedy expressed his concerns about potential government shutdowns impacting the midterm elections, stating, “Shutting down government should not be our default solution to our refusal to work out our issues and our differences … This is about putting our money where our mouth is.”
This past year saw federal government operations marred by two shutdowns that significantly hurt many federal employees, particularly in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The DHS recently resumed operations after a challenging 76-day shutdown, marking the longest funding gap for a single agency in U.S. history, following a 43-day complete government shutdown earlier that also set records.
While the Constitution guarantees lawmakers’ compensation, Congress members continued to receive their pay during these shutdowns, which sparked public outrage, especially as average federal workers went without paychecks for extended periods. In light of this, Senator Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) proposed a constitutional amendment that would require lawmakers to forfeit their pay entirely during shutdowns, aiming for a more permanent solution than the current resolution.
Graham stated, “If members of Congress had to forfeit their pay during government shutdowns, there would be fewer shutdowns and they would end quicker.”
Senator Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) strongly supported the initiative as a strategic way to push lawmakers to negotiate. He remarked, “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.”
In conversations with reporters, Kennedy also touched upon the increasing tension between the Senate and the House. He noted that the situation in Congress is becoming more combative, likening it to “two kids fighting in the back of a minivan.”
The base salary for a typical U.S. senator is $174,000, a figure that has remained unchanged for over a decade. Those in leadership roles earn slightly more, with the Majority and Minority leaders both receiving $193,400 per year. Despite these official salaries, many lawmakers possess considerable personal wealth from investments, real estate, and previous occupations.
