Members of Congress are assured by the Structure to be paid throughout a federal authorities shutdown. However not less than 55 of the 100 U.S. senators are both not taking their paychecks through the shutdown or are donating their salaries in solidarity with federal staff who’re furloughed and dealing with out pay, in keeping with a tally by ABC Information as of Friday.
That quantity contains 26 Republicans, 28 Democrats, and 1 impartial. The workplaces of 27 Republicans, 17 Democrats and 1 impartial haven’t responded.
To compile the record, ABC Information reached out to workplaces a number of instances for a response, and emailed a number of staffers in every workplace. Congressional employees will not be paid through the shutdown and are at present furloughed or working with out pay, since their salaries are funded yearly by Congress.
Why would members of Congress not take their very own pay?
“Their objective is to be empathetic,” Casey Burgat, a professor at George Washington College’s Graduate College of Political Administration, advised ABC Information, to “present folks you’re feeling their ache, too, and shouldn’t be advantaged once you’re accountable for their lack of paycheck.”
However whereas lawmakers from each events are holding again their salaries, they’re additionally pointing fingers.
Burgat advised ABC Information that that is additionally a part of that messaging from lawmakers towards their constituents in an try and blame the “different facet.”
US Senator Katie Britt, Republican from Alabama, speaks throughout an announcement by President Donald Trump within the Oval Workplace of the White Home in Washington, DC, on October 16, 2025.
Andrew Caballero-reynolds/AFP through Getty Photos
Republican Sen. Katie Britt, of Alabama, for example, wrote on X initially of October that she was having her pay withheld as a result of “Democrats have determined to close down the government–furloughing our federal staff and withholding pay from our troops,” and that she inspired her Democratic colleagues to additionally withhold their pay.
Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine, of Virginia, who can be not taking pay, pointed fingers on the different get together: “In solidarity with America’s federal staff, I cannot settle for pay throughout this shutdown… It is time for Republicans to satisfy us on the desk.”
Among the senators whose workplaces confirmed to ABC Information that they are going to be donating their salaries embody Sen. Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., whose workplace stated she is donating to well being care causes and Meals on Wheels; and Republican Sen. Ashley Moody, R-Fla., who stated she is giving her wage to the Disaster Heart of Tampa Bay.
Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., speaks with reporters about President Donald Trump’s international coverage intentions, with Venezuela particularly, on the Capitol in Washington, Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025.
J. Scott Applewhite/AP
The workplace of Democratic Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., confirmed his wage is being donated to the Federal Worker Training & Help Fund.
Republican Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., has stated he’s donating his wage to the Joseph Challenge, a program he helped launch that connects folks with jobs.
It is unclear what number of senators are nonetheless taking a paycheck.
U.S. Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI) speaks to members of the media after a bipartisan luncheon, weeks into the persevering with U.S. authorities shutdown on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., U.S., October 23, 2025.
Kylie Cooper/Reuters
Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., advised NBC Information in early October that it was not possible for him to skip his paycheck, saying he isn’t rich and has hire, mortgage and youngster help funds.
In a subsequent interview on CNN, Gallego described forgoing pay as “gimmicks” that did not assist folks.
“Most of those senators are millionaires to start with, proper? And all these congressmen which are complaining about it, they already received paid for the entire month,” he stated. “So, it is all one massive gimmick. And when these individuals are complaining about this or that, what is going on on is that they are not truly specializing in all these People which are going to lose their insurance coverage.”
ABC Information has reached out to Gallego’s workplace to ask for clarification about whether or not Gallego is at present taking a wage however has not heard again.
Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., is seen throughout votes within the U.S. Capitol on Thursday, October 23, 2025.
Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Name, Inc through Getty Imag
Gallego is successfully proper about not taking pay being a gimmick, Burgat advised ABC Information, on condition that members of Congress — underneath the Structure — are required to be paid. That will clarify why some are donating their salaries as a substitute of deferring pay.
Many members of Congress will not be independently rich, Burgat stated, and genuinely want the wage — which is $174,000 a yr for senators and U.S. Home representatives who will not be in management.
Some lawmakers have additionally launched payments that may impose monetary penalties on members of Congress throughout a shutdown or maintain off their pay.
Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, for example, launched a invoice that may “impose a every day tax on members of Congress throughout a lapse in appropriations.” Moreno is just not taking a wage through the shutdown.
ABC Information’ Brittany Shepherd and Emily Chang contributed to this report.
