In an effort to make the consequences of government shutdowns more tangible for elected officials, the Senate has unanimously approved a resolution that would suspend senators’ pay during any future funding lapses.

The measure, passed by the upper chamber without opposition, is designed to discourage shutdowns by ensuring lawmakers personally feel the financial impact that federal employees have endured multiple times in recent months.

Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana, who championed the proposal, said the move represents a “shared sacrifice” following periods in which tens of thousands of government workers were left without pay during two shutdowns since last year.

“Last October, we shut down the government for 43 days. That is the longest shutdown in history. And we had FBI agents, national park rangers, CDC scientists, our staff here in Congress — nobody was getting paid,” Kennedy said on the Senate floor.

“And then, three months later, after we finally got out of that 43-day shutdown, we shut down the Department of Homeland Security. It was shut down for 76 days. This is all in one year,” he continued. “We ought to hide our heads in a bag. It’s got to stop.”

Those shutdowns had widespread effects, particularly for travelers, as Transportation Security Administration workers continued reporting to airports without pay during both extended funding gaps.

Under Kennedy’s plan, which applies solely to senators, the secretary of the Senate would be required to hold back lawmakers’ salaries while a shutdown is in effect. Instead of receiving their paychecks, the funds would be placed in escrow until an agreement is reached to reopen the government.

Once federal operations resume, those withheld wages would be released.

Currently, rank-and-file senators earn an annual salary of $174,000, while party leaders receive more than $193,000.

The resolution is one of several steps lawmakers have pursued in response to the recent shutdowns, either to make such standoffs politically painful or to prevent them altogether.

Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin has introduced legislation, supported by federal labor unions, that would guarantee pay for government employees during shutdowns. Meanwhile, Sen. James Lankford of Oklahoma has proposed a bill that would avoid shutdowns entirely by automatically extending government funding in two-week increments.

For decades, shutting down the government was viewed as a last-resort option. However, recent events have suggested a shift, with Senate Democrats increasingly willing to use the tactic as a political weapon.

Even with the backing of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York, Republicans remain skeptical that Democrats will refrain from triggering another shutdown ahead of the upcoming midterm elections.

Notably, the new resolution would not take effect until after the November election cycle, meaning lawmakers will not face the loss of pay during any shutdowns that occur before then.

{Matzav.com}