Sponsors (2)
The bill increases accountability and clarity to discourage government shutdowns by withholding pay and standardizing definitions, at the cost of added administrative complexity and heightened risk of legal disputes and pay-related uncertainty.
Members of Congress will lose pay for days a shutdown occurs, creating a direct financial disincentive for future shutdowns that could reduce the frequency or duration of shutdowns and benefit the public by preserving government services.
Congressional payroll administration is clarified by assigning payroll administrators and requiring Treasury assistance, promoting faster, more consistent implementation of the withholding rule and reducing administrative confusion within Congress.
Federal agencies and staff gain a standardized definition of 'government shutdown,' reducing ambiguity about when the Act's provisions apply and helping federal employees and agencies apply rules more consistently.
Changing and standardizing the definition of 'shutdown' and withholding pay risks legal disputes over scope and application, which could produce litigation, operational uncertainty, and broader delays affecting agencies and employees.
Implementing pay withholding and subsequent audits will create administrative burdens and require Treasury and payroll staff resources, raising implementation costs and complexity.
If withholding is applied inconsistently or is legally challenged, Members may face delayed pay restorations or uncertainty, producing disruptions for Members and payroll staff and potentially distracting congressional operations.
Based on analysis of 4 sections of legislative text.
Requires withholding of one day’s pay per 24‑hour government shutdown day from Members of Congress during affected pay periods.
Official title: To prohibit the pay of Members of Congress during periods in which a Government shutdown is in effect, and for other purposes.
Introduced September 30, 2025 by Mike Kennedy · Last progress September 30, 2025
Requires House and Senate payroll administrators to withhold from a Member of Congress’s pay an amount equal to one day’s pay for each 24‑hour period (within a pay period) during which a federal government shutdown occurs. The definition of "government shutdown" covers any lapse in appropriations caused by failure to enact regular appropriations or a continuing resolution, and the rule applies beginning in the One Hundred Twentieth Congress and each Congress thereafter.