House Freshmen Push Bill to Withhold Congressional Paychecks During Shutdowns

Bipartisan legislation aims to hold lawmakers accountable for budget impasses.

Apr. 16, 2026 at 4:38pm

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A fragmented, overlapping painting of a political symbol in muted blue, gray, and red tones, conveying the disruptive nature of government shutdowns.A fractured, geometric painting captures the chaotic disruption of government shutdowns that lawmakers aim to address with new accountability measures.Minneapolis Today

Two first-term U.S. House members, Reps. Maggie Goodlander (D-NH) and Julie Fedorchak (R-ND), are leading a push for a bill that would prohibit federal lawmakers from receiving paychecks during a government shutdown. The Withhold Member Pay During Shutdowns Act has already passed unanimously out of the House Administration Committee and the representatives are urging the Speaker to bring it to the full House floor for a vote.

Why it matters

Government shutdowns have become increasingly common in recent years, with three of the longest shutdowns occurring during the Trump administration. This bipartisan bill is an attempt to create more accountability and incentive for Congress to fulfill its basic duty of passing a budget on time.

The details

The bill, introduced by Rep. Bryan Steil (R-WI), would hold congressional pay in escrow until a shutdown is resolved. Under the legislation, members would not receive back pay for the time the government was closed. Fedorchak and Goodlander, who have served a combined 466 days in the House with over 100 of those days during full or partial shutdowns, say this would 'better align incentives to come to the negotiating table, reinforce accountability, and demonstrate to the American people that we take our responsibilities seriously.'

  • The 43-day government shutdown occurred in October and November 2025.
  • The Department of Homeland Security has been shut down since February 14, 2026.

The players

Maggie Goodlander

A freshman Democratic U.S. Representative from New Hampshire.

Julie Fedorchak

A freshman Republican U.S. Representative from North Dakota.

Bryan Steil

A Republican U.S. Representative from Wisconsin who introduced the Withhold Member Pay During Shutdowns Act.

Mike Johnson

The Republican Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives.

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What they’re saying

“Members should share in the consequences of a shutdown — not be insulated from them. Doing so would better align incentives to come to the negotiating table, reinforce accountability, and demonstrate to the American people that we take our responsibilities seriously.”

— Maggie Goodlander and Julie Fedorchak, U.S. Representatives

“Passing a budget is one of our most basic and most important jobs, and when we fail to do that, we need to have consequences.”

— Julie Fedorchak, U.S. Representative

What’s next

The Withhold Member Pay During Shutdowns Act is currently awaiting a vote on the House floor after passing unanimously out of the House Administration Committee.

The takeaway

This bipartisan bill is an attempt to increase accountability and incentivize Congress to fulfill its basic budgetary responsibilities, rather than allowing lawmakers to avoid the consequences of government shutdowns that disrupt critical services and programs.