Senators voted unanimously this week to strip themselves of their paychecks during future government shutdowns, a rare bipartisan move that comes after years of brinkmanship turned Washington dysfunction into a recurring national crisis.
Under the new Senate resolution, lawmakers would forfeit access to their salaries any time Congress allows federal funding to lapse. While senators would eventually receive the withheld pay after a shutdown ends, the money would be locked away in escrow for the duration of the funding lapse — meaning lawmakers would finally face at least some personal consequence for political standoffs that leave millions of Americans in limbo.
The measure, spearheaded by John Kennedy, passed by voice vote and is set to take effect after the Nov. 3 midterm elections.
The vote comes as government shutdowns have become increasingly common — and increasingly disruptive. Washington has experienced five shutdowns over the past 13 years, with several erupting during the administrations of Donald Trump as congressional fights over spending escalated into full-scale political warfare. (RELATED: GOP Moves To Advance Full DHS Funding After Weeks Of Shutdown)
The most recent partial shutdown centered on funding for the Department of Homeland Security and dragged on for 76 days, creating widespread chaos across the country. TSA agents worked without pay as airport delays and staffing shortages mounted. Federal workers missed paychecks while families struggled to cover rent, groceries, and medical bills. National parks reduced operations, federal contractors lost income entirely, and concerns grew over security vulnerabilities as critical agencies operated with skeleton crews.
Even though many federal employees were eventually paid back, the shutdown exposed how quickly partisan gridlock in Washington can ripple through the entire country.
“The resolution defines a shutdown as the lapse in funding for one or more federal agencies or departments — which means a partial government shutdown, such as Congress’s failure to fund the Department of Homeland Security for 76 days earlier this year, would result in senators not getting paid for weeks on end,” The Hill noted in its breakdown of the legislation.
Kennedy argued lawmakers should not be insulated from the damage caused by their own political deadlocks.
“Shutting down government should not be our default solution to our refusal to work out our issues and our differences,” Kennedy said Wednesday.
But the Louisiana Republican also warned the issue remains deeply political heading into the midterms, saying he fears Democrats could attempt another shutdown showdown before the elections in order to create public turmoil and maximize political pressure.
The new policy is unlikely to end shutdown fights altogether, especially since senators would still ultimately receive their back pay once funding resumes. But supporters argue it sends a message to voters increasingly frustrated with a Congress many Americans view as addicted to manufactured crises and last-minute brinkmanship.
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Wow…unbelievable. Were they THAT ashamed of themselves??
What about Congressional representatives? They need to not get paid as well!