🇺🇸 U.S. SENATORS COULD LOSE THEIR PAY DURING A GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN
🇺🇸 U.S. SENATORS COULD LOSE THEIR PAY DURING A GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN
The U.S. Senate has unanimously advanced a measure that would prevent senators from receiving their salaries during a federal government shutdown.
The resolution, introduced by Republican Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana, would require the Senate secretary to withhold senators’ salaries whenever the government shuts down. The money would be placed in an escrow account and released only after government funding is restored.
The measure, S. Res. 526, cleared a procedural hurdle with a 99–0 vote before advancing by voice vote.
Kennedy has pushed the proposal since the major government shutdown in 2025, arguing that lawmakers should not continue receiving pay while federal employees are affected by funding lapses.
The issue has also sparked a political dispute in Washington. Republicans have argued that withholding senators’ pay could create an additional incentive to avoid future shutdowns, while Democrats have disputed the reasons behind the recent funding standoff.
The new rule is expected to take effect after the November 2026 midterm elections and would not apply to a shutdown occurring before the end of the current fiscal year.
📌 The message behind the measure is simple: if the government shuts down, senators could have their own pay put on hold until the government reopens.
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