Washington, D.C. – As the government shutdown drags into its 37th day, Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., introduced two bills Thursday aimed at hitting lawmakers where it hurts: their paychecks. The “No Shutdown Paychecks to Politicians Act” and the “Withhold Member Pay During Shutdowns Act” would suspend congressional salaries until a budget resolution and appropriations bills pass, ensuring no back pay for the duration—potentially leaving members unpaid for weeks or months.
Kennedy, a sharp-tongued member of the Appropriations Committee, laid out the rationale in a Senate floor speech: “If we can’t do our jobs and fund the government, we don’t deserve a paycheck—plain and simple.” The first bill outright halts pay during lapses in appropriations, while the second places salaries in escrow, disbursing them only after the next Congress convenes, sidestepping the 27th Amendment’s ban on mid-term pay changes. Rep. Bryan Steil, R-Wis., filed companion legislation in the House, emphasizing fairness for unpaid essential workers like troops and air traffic controllers.
The timing is no coincidence. With 42 million Americans facing SNAP benefit blackouts and 800,000 feds furloughed, polls show 58% of independents blaming Democrats for the impasse over their $1.5 trillion ACA subsidy demands. Kennedy’s push taps voter frustration, with 98% in a Jackson, Tenn., poll opposing congressional pay during shutdowns. “What’s good for the goose is good for the gander,” he quipped, noting President Obama’s 2013 support for similar measures.
Critics, including Democrats, decry it as unconstitutional theater. “This gimmick violates the Constitution and distracts from Republican intransigence,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer retorted, highlighting the 27th Amendment’s protections. Legal experts like those at the Congressional Research Service question the escrow workaround, predicting court challenges. Even some Republicans hesitate, fearing it deters public service.
As midterms ballots drop and Thanksgiving approaches without aid, Kennedy’s bills risk permanence or perish as props. In D.C.’s fiscal farce, docking pay might sting lawmakers—or just spotlight the absurdity.
