Schumer Backs GOP Measure To Withhold Senators’ Pay During Shutdowns — Vote Likely To Pass

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said he will back a Republican-backed resolution that would stop senators from receiving pay while the government is shut down. The measure, sponsored by Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), is scheduled for a vote and is widely expected to pass after getting support from both Schumer and Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.).

What the resolution does: Kennedy’s proposal would instruct the Secretary of the Senate to withhold lawmakers’ pay until a government shutdown is resolved. Under current pay levels, a rank-and-file senator earns about $174,000 per year, and party leaders earn more than $193,000.

The change would apply only to the Senate and — as written — would not take effect until after the November midterm elections. Some Republicans, however, worry Democrats could still force a shutdown before voters go to the polls.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., returns to his office after speaking on the Senate floor and addressing reporters at the U.S. Capitol on March 11, 2026.

Context And Impact

Supporters argue the rule would create a direct personal consequence for lawmakers and reduce the political appetite for triggering shutdowns. Opponents say withholding pay may be largely symbolic and that lawmakers can find other ways to avoid financial pain.

The move comes after a spate of recent funding fights: the most recent partial shutdown lasted 76 days — the longest in U.S. history — and occurred amid disputes over immigration policy. In the previous year, Democrats withheld funding for 43 days while pressing for an extension of now-expired health-care tax credits.

Separately, Republicans are advancing parts of the budget reconciliation process to fund agencies such as Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Border Patrol for multiple years, a step Majority Leader Thune said became necessary after Democrats refused to fund those agencies.

“I’m going to vote for it,” Schumer said, adding he believes the measure enjoys broad support among senators. Thune said the policy may provide an additional incentive to prevent future shutdowns.

As the measure proceeds to an up-or-down vote, senators will weigh whether withholding pay is a meaningful deterrent or a largely political gesture — but with bipartisan leadership backing, passage appears likely.