WASHINGTON – With the federal government in its fourth day of shutdown, a bipartisan group of senators introduced legislation Monday to withhold paychecks from Congress members until funding is restored, channeling widespread public fury over lawmakers’ insulated salaries amid furloughed workers’ hardships. The No Budget, No Pay Act, led by Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) and co-sponsored by Sens. Jon Husted (R-Ohio), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.), and Abigail Spanberger (D-Va.), would suspend salaries for all 535 members during any funding lapse, echoing similar House efforts from earlier this year.
The shutdown, triggered October 1 after failed negotiations over border security and Affordable Care Act subsidies, has idled 2.1 million federal employees and halted services from national parks to veterans’ benefits. Economic fallout is mounting, with the Congressional Budget Office projecting $1 billion daily losses. Yet lawmakers continue drawing $174,000 annual salaries, protected by the 27th Amendment—a perk that has long irked constituents. “If federal workers go unpaid, so should we,” Scott declared at a Capitol Hill presser. “This isn’t punishment; it’s accountability to force real bipartisanship.”
Husted, a freshman senator, joined after witnessing Ohio families strained by delayed Social Security checks. “Families are skipping meals while Congress bickers—enough,” he said, citing a Rasmussen poll showing 72% public support for the measure. The bill builds on Fitzpatrick and Spanberger’s March House introduction of the No Pay for Congress During Default or Shutdown Act, which mandates payroll freezes the instant a lapse begins. A companion Senate version, now with 15 co-sponsors including Democrats like Sen. Eugene Vindman (D-Va.), aims for quick passage before midterms.
Critics, including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, warn it could sideline junior staff and deter diverse candidates, but proponents dismiss that as deflection. President Trump, fresh from Oval Office talks that devolved into partisan gridlock, endorsed the idea on Truth Social: “Great! Make them feel the pain they inflict.” As Senate Majority Leader John Thune eyes a vote amid stalled continuing resolutions, the bill’s momentum reflects a deeper erosion of trust. Will it pass, or fade like 2013’s vetoed predecessor? For furloughed Americans, the message is clear: Pay us first—or pay the political price.
