In a huge bit of news that might finally give Congress an impetus to end the federal government shutdown that has now blown well past the one month mark, Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) announced that he is introducing two bills into the legislature that will, if passed, withhold Congressional lawmaker pay during shutdowns.
As background, the shutdown has lasted for weeks because Democrats and Republicans in the Senate have been unable to come to a deal on spending, with Democrats demanding healthcare spending for illegal aliens that Republicans refuse to accept. During that period, most federal bureaucrats have gone unpaid, as have Congressional staffers, with the military only being paid thanks to extraordinary efforts engaged in by the Trump Administration.
Members of Congress are being paid, however, as under Article 1, Section 6 of the U.S. Constitution, The Senators and Representatives shall receive a Compensation for their Services, to be ascertained by Law, and paid out of the Treasury of the United States. They shall in all Cases, except Treason, Felony and Breach of the Peace, be privileged from Arrest during their Attendance at the Session of their respective Houses, and in going to and returning from the same; and for any Speech or Debate in either House, they shall not be questioned in any other Place.”
Sen. Kennedy, in any case, aims to introduce two bills to deal with the situation. The first of which is called, “No Shutdown Paychecks to Politicians Act,” and the other is called the “Withhold Member Pay During Shutdowns Act.” He described the point of the bills as being to ensure Congress faces the same financial pain that it is inflicting upon government workers.
Under the first bill, the “No Shutdown Paychecks to Politicians Act,” for each and every day of a government shutdown, all lawmakers would “go without pay.” Under the senator’s second bill, the “Withhold Member Pay During Shutdowns Act,” the bill would “sidestep the 27th Amendment” by placing lawmakers’ paychecks “in escrow until after the November 2026 elections.”
Describing the purpose of the bill, Sen. Kennedy said, “I don’t see missing paychecks or empty dinner plates as leverage or bargaining chips. My bills ensure Congress feels the same pain as the folks we’re failing to pay — our troops, air traffic controllers, and federal workers. If we can’t do our jobs and fund the government, we don’t deserve a paycheck — plain and simple.”
Further, commenting on the point of the bills, he noted that the shutdown is grinding on, saying, “We’re on day 36.” And, commenting on the rumors that an end is close, he said, “We’ve been that close for a week, frankly. I hope I’m wrong in saying this, but, I don’t think we’re really that close. I wish we were, and I hope we are, but I think we’re going to be in the shutdown a while longer.”
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He then added, “In the meantime, none of our staffs are being paid. No federal employees are being paid. I got some numbers in this morning that federal workers have had to borrow $365 million so far during this 36-day shutdown in order just to pay their rent. Our military is only being paid partially. Our air traffic controllers are not being paid. People who receive SNAP payments are only being partially paid.”
Watch him here:
Featured image credit: screengrab from the embedded video