Louisiana Republican Senator John Kennedy has voiced his “strong disappointment” after his attempt to block lawmakers’ pay during a government shutdown was blocked from making it into the latest continuing resolution (CR) funding bill.
Senator Kennedy, a proponent of “shared sacrifice” during government funding lapses, had introduced two bills last Thursday aimed at forcing members of Congress to either forfeit their paychecks or place them in escrow accounts when the government is not open.
“My only disappointment in the deal that we have, I strongly wanted a provision added that senators cannot be paid during a shutdown. It’s called shared sacrifice. It’s called leadership,” Kennedy stated on “The Will Cain Show.”
Kennedy slammed the current setup as the “hype of hypocrisy,” pointing out that while he personally opted to skip his salary, essential federal workers—including air traffic controllers, military personnel, and congressional staff—were either furloughed or working without pay.
“We were getting paid, but our staff wasn’t. I didn’t take my salary, but our staff wasn’t getting paid, and our air traffic controllers, our military. I thought it was the hype of hypocrisy.”
Despite being blocked by leadership from adding his bills to the CR, Kennedy vowed to continue reintroducing his legislation.
The issue of lawmaker pay during a shutdown has clearly struck a chord on Capitol Hill. At least 55 of the 100 senators—comprising 26 Republicans, 28 Democrats, and 1 independent—are already declining their paychecks or donating their salaries in a show of solidarity with unpaid federal workers.
The Senate ultimately passed the CR with a 60-vote threshold on Sunday, sending the amended bill back to the House for passage before heading to President Donald Trump’s desk.
The funding deal, however, is generating its own set of political fireworks.
- Progressive Outrage: Progressive Democrats and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries are outraged at Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and the eight Democrats who backed the CR’s advancement. Their fury stems from the CR’s failure to extend Affordable Care Act (ACA) tax credits, which are due to expire on December 31.
- Schumer’s Stance: Schumer himself stated he is against the CR because it “fails to address the healthcare crisis.”
- A Promise to Vote: House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Republicans countered, arguing that a vote on the ACA’s subsidies can happen once the government reopens. To secure Democratic support, Senate Republicans agreed to reverse the layoffs of 4,000 federal workers and schedule a vote on the ACA extensions.
READ: Democratic Strategist Says Chuck Schumer Is ‘No Longer Capable’ Of Leading Democrats
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