Thune Blesses Push to Block Senator Pay During Government Shutdowns
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) put his stamp of approval on legislation Tuesday that would block senators from receiving paychecks during a government shutdown.
TL;DR
- Senate Majority Leader John Thune supports legislation to block senator pay during government shutdowns.
- Senator John Kennedy has been advocating for this legislation during previous shutdowns.
- The bill aims to provide an incentive for lawmakers to avoid shutdowns.
- It addresses the disparity of lawmakers being paid while other federal workers are not.
- The measure cleared the Senate Rules Committee unanimously but has faced past procedural blocks.
- The bill would take effect after the 2026 elections and directs the secretary of the Senate to withhold pay.
- Another proposed measure from Senator Ron Johnson would ensure essential federal workers are paid during shutdowns.