To prohibit the pay of Members of Congress during periods in which a Government shutdown is in effect, and for other purposes.

Plain-English Summary

This bill would stop members of Congress from receiving their paychecks during a government shutdown. Under current law, members of Congress continue to be paid even when the federal government shuts down, because their salaries are considered mandatory spending. This legislation would change that by withholding their pay for as long as a shutdown lasts.

The idea behind the bill is straightforward: if Congress fails to pass a budget or funding agreement that keeps the government open, the people responsible for that failure — members of Congress themselves — would feel a direct financial consequence. The bill essentially ties lawmakers' paychecks to their ability to keep the government funded and running.

This bill directly affects the 535 members of the U.S. House and Senate, who currently earn $174,000 per year (with leadership earning more). It would not affect federal workers or other government employees, who are already subject to furloughs or delayed pay during shutdowns. The bill has been referred to two House committees — the Committee on House Administration and the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform — where it will be reviewed before any further action is taken.

It is worth noting that a constitutional amendment ratified in 1992 (the 27th Amendment) restricts changes to congressional pay, which could present a legal challenge to this type of legislation. Bills with similar goals have been introduced in previous sessions of Congress, though few have been signed into law.