The U.S. Senate on Wednesday advanced legislation that would require senators to forgo their salaries during any future federal government shutdown. The measure passed in a 99-0 procedural vote, reflecting growing frustration over lawmakers receiving paychecks while federal workers go unpaid.
Republican Senator Pete Ricketts did not cast a ballot on the resolution.
Introduced by Senator John Kennedy, the legislation is now heading toward final passage and is expected to secure broad bipartisan support. Under the bill, the Senate’s secretary would be tasked with withholding senators’ compensation during shutdowns, with delayed payments resuming once government operations resume. The law will take effect after the November 2026 election.
Kennedy stated on the Senate floor prior to the vote: “Take your brain with you, because this is about shared sacrifice. This is about putting our money where our mouth is.”
The proposal follows multiple protracted funding standoffs in Washington. A 43-day federal shutdown last year—triggered by disagreements over Affordable Care Act subsidies—furloughed roughly 670,000 federal workers and resulted in tens of thousands of private-sector job losses, while Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program beneficiaries faced disruptions.
Despite the financial strain on employees and families, members of Congress continued receiving salaries throughout recent shutdowns. Calls to halt congressional pay intensified this year during a 75-day partial shutdown affecting the Department of Homeland Security, when Transportation Security Administration officers, Coast Guard personnel, and other federal employees went unpaid amid disputes over immigration enforcement funding.
Similar proposals have been introduced in the House of Representatives, though it remains unclear whether comparable legislation will advance in the lower chamber.
