Withhold Member Pay During Shutdowns Act
Sponsored By: Senator Kennedy, John [R-LA]
Introduced
Summary
Withhold Members of Congress' pay during government shutdowns. The bill would require withholding for shutdown days and put those amounts in escrow until a pay‑reduction effective date to preserve compliance with the 27th Amendment.
Show full summary
- Members of Congress: Pay would be reduced by one day's pay for each 24‑hour period of a shutdown during a pay period after the pay‑reduction effective date set as the regularly scheduled November 2026 general election.
- Payroll administrators: House and Senate payroll officials would calculate and withhold the daily amounts and hold pre‑effective‑date withholdings in an escrow account, releasing any remaining funds on the pay‑reduction effective date.
- Treasury support: The Secretary of the Treasury would provide payroll administrators with assistance needed to implement the withholding and escrow processes.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 1 costs, 0 mixed.
Withhold Congressional Pay During Shutdowns
This bill would require withholding Member pay for each day a government shutdown causes a lapse in appropriations. On or after the regularly scheduled general election in November 2026, payroll offices would permanently reduce a Member's pay by one day's pay for each 24‑hour shutdown period in a pay period. From enactment until that November 2026 date, payroll offices would withhold the same amounts and deposit them into an escrow account. Any money left in escrow on that election date would be released to Members to avoid varying compensation under the 27th Amendment. The bill would name who counts as a Member, identify payroll administrators, and direct the Treasury to help implement the rules.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Kennedy, John [R-LA]
LA • R
Cosponsors
There are no cosponsors for this bill.
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov