@subsisting

Senators just voted to stop paying themselves during government shutdowns, but the rule will not take effect until after the next election. In May 2026 the U.S. Senate unanimously passed Sen. John Kennedy’s resolution to withhold senators’ salaries whenever the government shuts down. Because of the 27th Amendment, any pay withheld before the November 2026 election would be placed in escrow and released only after the congressional session ends. After the election the rule would fully take effect, meaning senators would no longer receive pay during a shutdown. Kennedy’s argument was simple. If federal workers can miss paychecks because Congress fails to keep the government open, lawmakers should not keep collecting theirs. The measure passed 99 to 0, a rare show of bipartisan agreement, after the country endured a combined 119 days of government shutdowns between October 2025 and May 2026.