WASHINGTON – As fears of a government shutdown loom with the December 19 funding deadline approaching, a bold idea is gaining momentum: docking the pay of Congress members until they resolve the impasse. Proposed by Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-Va.) and co-sponsored by 42 bipartisan lawmakers, the No Pay Until It’s Done Act would halt salaries for senators, representatives, and their top staff during any funding lapse, aiming to pressure Congress into swift action and spare federal workers and citizens the fallout.
Government shutdowns, a recurring threat since the 1980s, have furloughed millions and disrupted services from national parks to veterans’ benefits. The 2018-19 shutdown, lasting 35 days, cost the economy $11 billion, per the Congressional Budget Office, while federal employees went unpaid. Yet Congress, constitutionally guaranteed salaries under the 27th Amendment, continued drawing $174,000 annually, sparking public outrage. “Lawmakers shouldn’t cash checks while Americans suffer,” Spanberger argued, noting 800,000 federal workers face unpaid bills during stalemates.
Supporters, including Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), say the bill aligns incentives: “If we can’t do our job, we don’t deserve pay.” Critics, like House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, caution it could disproportionately harm junior staff and lower-income members, while doing little to deter wealthy lawmakers. A 2013 version, the No Budget, No Pay Act, passed but was struck down by courts for violating constitutional pay protections, casting doubt on the new bill’s fate.
Public sentiment, reflected in a September Rasmussen Reports poll, shows 68% favor pausing congressional pay during shutdowns, with independents leading the charge. As budget talks falter over border security and debt ceiling hikes, the proposal underscores a deeper frustration: Why should Congress be insulated from the chaos it creates? With Speaker Mike Johnson facing GOP rebels, the bill’s bipartisan appeal could force a reckoning—or fizzle in court.
