Sponsor
Angela Craig
Representative · D-MN
Representative · D-MN
The bill trades stronger, standardized financial penalties and clearer rules to deter government shutdowns (protecting public services) against fairness concerns, added administrative costs, and the risk that withholding pay may not reliably change lawmakers' behavior or cover all types of funding disruptions.
Millions of Americans who rely on federal services (taxpayers, middle-class families) are more likely to avoid disruptions because the bill creates stronger incentives to reduce the frequency or length of government shutdowns.
Members of Congress face direct financial consequences (withholding or reduction of pay for shutdown days), creating a political and personal incentive for lawmakers to avert or resolve shutdowns.
A clear, uniform legal definition of 'government shutdown' gives federal employees and agencies more certainty about when the law applies and how to implement pay and operating rules.
All Members of Congress can lose pay even if they are not responsible for a shutdown, which may be perceived as unfair and may not change shutdown behavior — leaving taxpayers to still suffer service disruptions and economic costs.
The bill creates additional administrative burden and potential costs for House and Senate payroll offices and Treasury to track, withhold, escrow, and later disburse withheld amounts.
A narrowly written statutory definition of 'shutdown' could exclude related funding gaps or partial funding problems, meaning some disruptions would not trigger the pay rules and the law's deterrent effect could be limited.
Based on analysis of 5 sections of legislative text.
Each Member of Congress loses one day's pay for each 24‑hour government shutdown day occurring after the Nov 2026 general election; payroll withholdings into escrow during the 119th Congress are required.
Official title: To reduce the annual rate of pay of Members of Congress if a Government shutdown occurs during a year, and for other purposes.
Introduced October 3, 2025 by Angela Craig · Last progress October 3, 2025
Reduces congressional pay when the federal government is shut down: for each 24‑hour period a lapse in appropriations is in effect after the November 2026 general election, each Member of Congress would lose one day’s worth of their annual pay. During the 119th Congress, payroll administrators will withhold amounts equal to those days into an escrow account and release remaining escrowed funds on the last day of the 119th Congress to avoid violating the Twenty‑Seventh Amendment. The bill defines what counts as a "Government shutdown" and who counts as a "Member of Congress."