Senate Unanimously Advances Kennedy Resolution to Withhold Pay in Future Shutdowns

The Senate took a key step Wednesday toward imposing financial penalties on lawmakers during government shutdowns.

Senators unanimously advanced a resolution from Sen. John Kennedy, R-La. If approved, it would block pay for lawmakers until any future shutdown ends. The push follows repeated shutdowns Democrats have used as leverage over the past year, including the two longest in history.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and other Democrats joined Republicans to advance the measure for a final vote. Schumer said he plans to vote for it.

Still, some Republicans doubt Democrats' commitment. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., told Fox News Digital the support shows Democrats recognize the poor optics of opposing pay cuts while federal workers go unpaid. "That's a really bad posture to be in if you're opposing something like that at a time when you got a lot of government employees who aren't getting paid," Thune said. He added that Democrats faced a tough political vote and likely discussed it at their lunch the day before.

Kennedy called his resolution one of shared sacrifice, though it would not take effect until after the midterm elections. "If I were king for a day — I'm not, I don't aspire to be — but if I were, I'd make this resolution effective immediately," he said on the Senate floor. He expressed concern that Democrats might shut down the government again before the elections to create chaos.

The resolution directs the Senate secretary to withhold paychecks. Rank-and-file senators earn $174,000 a year, while party leaders make more than $193,000.

It applies only to the Senate. Kennedy stressed that point before the vote.

The effort comes after a 43-day shutdown over enhanced Obamacare premium tax credits and a 76-day Department of Homeland Security shutdown. In President Trump's second term alone, Congress has neared closure four times.

Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., has introduced his own Shutdown Fairness Act. It would guarantee pay for working federal employees during shutdowns.