Senate adopts measure to suspend senators’ pay during future shutdowns

The U.S. Senate unanimously adopted a resolution on Thursday that suspends senators’ pay during future government shutdowns. The measure, sponsored by Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), passed by voice vote and will take effect after the November midterm elections, meaning it could apply to a potential end-of-year shutdown but not one before the Sept. 30 fiscal year deadline. Under the resolution, the secretary of the Senate would withhold all salary payments to senators during a shutdown, defined as a lapse in funding for any federal agency or department. While salaries would be placed in escrow and not permanently lost, lawmakers would lack access to their pay during the shutdown period. Kennedy cited concerns that Senate Democrats might again trigger a shutdown ahead of the elections to create political chaos. The resolution includes a delay in implementation due to the 27th Amendment, which prohibits changes to congressional salaries until after the next House election. Sen. Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) praised the measure as a way to pressure senators into avoiding shutdowns by forcing them to bear financial consequences. He noted that Democrats have previously weaponized funding votes, including blocking a government funding stopgap in 2023 and causing a 76-day lapse in Department of Homeland Security funding earlier this year over immigration enforcement reforms. The Senate had already voted 99-0 to advance the resolution on Wednesday. Kennedy’s proposal follows recent shutdowns, including a 43-day closure in 2023 when Senate Democrats opposed a House-passed funding bill that did not extend Affordable Care Act premium tax credits. Marshall argued the pay suspension would serve as an additional tool to incentivize bipartisan compromise on funding legislation.