In Senate, a Rare Unanimous Vote on Their Own Pay

UPDATE May 14, 2026 1:00 PM CDT

It's unanimous: Senators won't collect paychecks during government shutdowns under a resolution that passed without a single nay vote on Thursday, reports CBS News. No paychecks will be issued if one or more federal agency is shut down under the change, which takes effect after the midterm elections.

May 13, 2026 5:20 PM CDT

The Senate moved a step closer Wednesday to docking its own paychecks during funding lapses. In a 99-0 vote, senators agreed to advance a resolution from Republican Sen. John Kennedy that would withhold their salaries during any future government shutdowns. Speaking to reporters, per the Washington Post, Majority Leader John Thune framed the measure as providing "an additional incentive to keep Senate Democrats in the future from shutting the government down again." The measure applies only to members of the Senate and does not require House approval or the president's signature, the Hill reports.

Under the resolution, pay would be placed in escrow whenever Congress misses a funding deadline and agencies shut down; senators would receive the money once the government reopens. Because of the 27th Amendment, which bars immediate changes to lawmakers' compensation, the policy would not take effect until after the upcoming midterm elections. So any shutdown this fall would be exempt. Kennedy argued for making the change effective right away, accusing Democrats of planning another pre-election shutdown, but acknowledged the constitutional limitation. Several votes remain on the measure, the Post points out, though the unanimous support on Wednesday suggests passage.

He pointed to the 43-day full government closure in 2025 over enhanced health insurance subsidies and this year's 76-day shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security, driven by a dispute over funding immigration enforcement agencies, as evidence that shutdowns have become a recurring tactic. "Shutting down government should not be our default solution," he said on the Senate floor. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer signaled support for the resolution earlier in the week, helping clear the way for its easy passage in the chamber.