WASHINGTON, D.C. – During a government shutdown, as many as four million federal employees, including some service members, will not get a paycheck. Some federal workers deemed essential, like air traffic controllers and certain military members, are told to work anyways. However, the members of congress, will still get paid.
According to Article one, Section six in the Constitution, congressional members’ pay is protected. Rank and file congressional members earn about 174-thousand each year. Congressional leadership earns a little more than that. Some members said they don’t want to receive pay during a shutdown, so we asked members if they will still accept a paycheck.
“By law you can’t- you can’t refuse it,” said Sen. John Fetterman (D- PA). “So for me, my big concern is the chaos.”
Florida Republican Congresswoman, Rep. Kat Cammack, shared on the social media platform X, she asked the Chief Administrative Officer to withhold her net pay until an appropriations agreement is reached and has taken effect. She adds “if our military isn’t being paid, neither should Members of Congress”.
Michigan Rep. Jack Bergman (R- MI) also shared on X “If Congress can’t keep the government open, Members shouldn’t get paid a single cent.” He and other House members are introducing legislation that says if members shut down the government, members shouldn’t get paid and shouldn’t get back pay either. We asked Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D- NY) about this proposal:
“One of the reasons why I supported that traditionally is because the pain that federal workers feel is real and maybe if members of congress feel that pain everyday, they will think twice of being flippant when it comes to keeping the government open,” said Sen. Gillibrand. “We expect a government that works for the American people and when it shuts down its not working for the American people and members of congress should still feel the same anxiety and pain that any other federal worker or anybody else who has access or needs access to a federal program like social security or the Veterans Administration.”
The office of Senator Elissa Slotkin (D- MI) told the Senate’s Financial Clerk “For the duration of the current lapse in appropriations, please hold my salary.”
We reached out to Senator Gary Peters (D- MI) asking the same question but we did not get an answer.
