Senators Unanimously Approve Pay Freeze During Future Shutdowns
Updated
Updated · The Associated Press · May 14
Senators Unanimously Approve Pay Freeze During Future Shutdowns
18 articles · Updated · The Associated Press · May 14
The Senate on Thursday backed a resolution to withhold senators’ pay whenever a government shutdown hits one or more federal agencies.
The measure would have the secretary of the Senate hold lawmakers’ salaries until funding is restored, tying their pay directly to the length of any shutdown.
Senators advanced it with bipartisan support after a string of record-breaking budget impasses over the past year made federal closures longer and more frequent.
Sponsor John Kennedy said shutdowns should not become Congress’s default response to unresolved disputes, framing the resolution as a penalty for failing to fund the government.
With shutdowns causing billions in economic damage, is withholding lawmaker pay a sufficient deterrent?
Why does the new rule to withhold lawmaker pay only take effect after the November election?