Congress·In Progress·H.R. 5891

Withhold Member Pay During Shutdowns Act

Congress: Pay Cuts During Government Shutdowns

13 days ago·View on Congress.gov·Read full text

Part of: Withhold Member Pay During Shutdowns Act

This bill is currently in the committee stage after members voted to approve a revised version of it. It is actively moving forward as it prepares to be reported to the full House for further consideration. There are no other specific actions scheduled at this time.

Part of: story →Companion bill: Congress Pay: No Pay During Shutdowns →

Passage Likelihood

25%Unlikely

While these bills are popular with the public, they rarely pass because they require lawmakers to vote for their own pay cuts.

·Popular with voters
·Constitutional hurdles regarding pay changes
·Directly affects lawmakers' personal income
·Similar past bills have failed to advance

Legislative Progress

House

Senate

President

Law

Key Points

This bill would stop Members of Congress from being paid for any day the federal government is shut down. If one or more agencies run out of money and close, lawmakers would lose a full day of pay for every 24 hours the shutdown lasts.
The plan handles pay differently depending on the date to follow the Constitution. Until November 2026, any withheld pay would be kept in a special holding account and given back to lawmakers at the end of their term. After the 2026 election, the pay would be permanently cut and never paid back.
This policy aims to hold lawmakers accountable for failing to pass a budget on time. While many federal workers are often sent home without pay during shutdowns, Members of Congress currently continue to receive their salaries. This bill would make sure they feel the same financial pressure as other government employees.
The Secretary of the Treasury and payroll officers in the House and Senate would be responsible for calculating the daily pay rates and making sure the money is either withheld or put into the holding accounts during a funding lapse.

Milestones

3 milestones4 actions

Mar 18, 2026House

Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 10 - 0.

The committee approved this bill and is sending it to the full chamber for a vote. This is a significant step — most bills never get this far.

Mar 18, 2026House

Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held

Oct 31, 2025House

Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Sent to a congressional committee for expert review. The committee decides whether this bill moves forward.

Oct 31, 2025

Introduced in House

The bill was officially filed and given a number. It now enters the legislative queue.