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By Kate Plummer
Senior US News Reporter
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A petition seeking to strip members of Congress of their salaries during the government shutdown has garnered over 97,000 signatures.
The petition, launched by a Missouri resident named Joyce, argues that lawmakers should not be paid their salary or benefits during the shutdown and that their salaries should be reduced by 2 percent for each day the government remains closed.
This daily reduction, the petition says, should remain when the government reopens.
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Why It Matters
After Congress could not agree on a funding measure, the government shut down as midnight passed on 1 October. This means that non-essential government services have ground to a halt.
During a shutdown, lawmakers continue to receive their salaries while a number of essential workers that are required to continue working will not get a paycheck.
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These workers, along with furloughed government staff will, instead, receive backpay when the government reopens, according to a law Congress passed in 2019.
Most lawmakers receive an annual salary of $174,000 while those in top leadership roles, like the Speaker of the House, receive more.
What To Know
The petition, which at the time of writing has accrued 97,713 signatures, calls on Congress to pass immediate legislation to implement salary freezes and reductions.
It reads: "We, the undersigned, demand immediate action to hold members of Congress accountable for government shutdowns. When the government shuts down, essential services halt, federal workers go unpaid, and millions of Americans suffer. Yet, members of Congress continue to receive their salaries and benefits, insulated from the consequences of their inaction."
It adds: "Government shutdowns are not just political games—they disrupt lives, harm communities, and erode public trust. Congress must feel the same urgency as the American people to resolve these crises swiftly. If federal workers and citizens bear the burden of a shutdown, so should our elected officials."
The petition comes after various members of Congress from both parties have called for lawmakers to have their pay suspended during the government shutdown.
South Carolina Representative Ralph Norman, for instance, reintroduced a constitutional amendment that would bar members of Congress from receiving a salary while the federal government is in a shutdown. Democratic Senator Andy Kim and Florida Republican Kat Cammack have also said they will refuse their pay during this period.
However, efforts to alter lawmakers' pay will unlikely succeed. A constitutional amendment requires the support of two-thirds of both the House and Senate. Meanwhile, under the 27th amendment, passed in 1992, Congress is prevented from giving itself an immediate pay rise or cut. Any changes can only take effect after the next election, meaning any move that would change salaries during this shutdown would not take effect.
What People Are Saying
Mark Shanahan, who teaches American politics at the University of Surrey in the U.K. told Newsweek: "The decision to shut down government is a political decision unique to the US. In other democracies, such inability to drive through legislation would most likely be met by a confidence vote, perhaps the ousting of the head of the party of government and a general election. In short, resolution of the issue would be put in the hands of voters. Of course, the US doesn't operate in that way and, more than a year out from the midterms, voters feel powerless. The petition is symbolic - and the numbers signing aren't huge yet. In truth, the best voters can do is make their opinions very clear to their own legislators on both sides the House and Senate that 'We the people' are not being well-represented, and It's time for Congress to find compromises rather than tie themselves to ideological shibboleths."
One person who signed the petition, Donald, wrote: "As a federal employee who is required to still come to work as essential personnel, knowing Congress has stopped all payroll for federal employees to include essential personnel until an agreement is reached, really drives the point that Congress shouldn’t be paid either as federal employees or representatives until a funding bill is accepted."
In a statement, Norman said: "Members of Congress have a constitutional duty to fund the government’s essential functions. If Congress fails to meet that obligation, we should not expect taxpayers to continue paying us for inaction. No one else in America would get paid for failing to fulfill their duties—Congress should face the same principle.”
“When families, small businesses, and workers fall short, they don’t have the luxury of collecting a paycheck for unfinished work,” he continued. “Washington ought to be no different. Accountability is not optional. It is the foundation of public service, and Congress must be held to the same standard as the people we represent.”
What Happens Next
The government remains in shut down, with no clear solution in sight.
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