Senator Pay Will Be Withheld During Shutdowns After Midterms

The US Capitol in Washington.

Photographer: Eric Lee/Bloomberg

Senators’ paychecks will be withheld during future government shutdowns, a move aimed at providing an additional incentive to avoid funding lapses.

The Senate adopted the resolution (S. Res. 526) from Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) by a voice vote on Thursday. It would delay paying senators when there’s a shutdown, beginning after November’s midterm elections. Funding impasses between the parties have repeatedly led to shutdowns in this Congress, where government employees work without pay while lawmakers would continue to collect pay.