Withhold Member Pay During Shutdowns

Summary#

This bill requires that Members of Congress have part of their pay withheld when a federal funding shutdown (a lapse in appropriations for one or more federal agencies or departments) occurs. For pay periods that include any day of a shutdown, the payroll administrator for each chamber must deduct an amount equal to one day's pay for each 24‑hour period of the shutdown that occurs during that pay period. The rule applying actual pay reductions begins for days after the regularly scheduled November 2026 general election. For shutdown days that occur before that effective date, the bill requires withheld amounts to be placed in an escrow account and then released on the pay reduction effective date so the change does not violate the 27th Amendment. The bill defines key terms and directs the Secretary of the Treasury to help payroll administrators carry out these rules.

What it means for you#

• If you are a Member of Congress: Pay for any pay period that includes shutdown days would be reduced by one day's pay for each 24‑hour shutdown period occurring in that pay period after the November 2026 election. For shutdowns before that date, the same amounts would be withheld and held in escrow until the effective date.
• If you are not a Member of Congress: No publicly available information on direct effects to other federal employees, benefits, or services is provided in the bill text.

Expenses#

No publicly available information on federal costs, savings, or budgetary effects is included in the bill text or metadata provided.

Proponents' View#

No publicly available information.

Opponents' View#

No publicly available information.