Members of Congress are assured by the Structure to be paid throughout a federal authorities shutdown. However no 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 employees who’re furloughed and dealing with out pay, in response to a tally by ABC Information as of Friday.
That quantity consists of 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 workers 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 purpose is to be empathetic,” Casey Burgat, a professor at George Washington College’s Graduate Faculty of Political Administration, instructed ABC Information, to “present individuals you are 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 instructed ABC Information that that is additionally a part of that messaging from lawmakers towards their constituents in an try to blame the “different aspect.”
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 by way of Getty Photos
Republican Sen. Katie Britt, of Alabama, as an illustration, wrote on X in the beginning of October that she was having her pay withheld as a result of “Democrats have determined to close down the government–furloughing our federal employees 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 also be not taking pay, pointed fingers at the other party: “In solidarity with America’s federal employees, I can’t settle for pay throughout this shutdown… It is time for Republicans to fulfill us on the desk.”
A number of the senators whose workplaces confirmed to ABC Information that they are going to be donating their salaries embrace 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 Middle of Tampa Bay.
Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., speaks with reporters about President Donald Trump’s overseas coverage intentions, with Venezuela specifically, 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 Schooling & Help Fund.
Republican Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., has stated he’s donating his wage to the Joseph Venture, a program he helped launch that connects individuals 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., told NBC News in early October that it was not possible for him to skip his paycheck, saying he isn’t rich and has hire, mortgage and little one assist funds.
In a subsequent interview on CNN, Gallego described forgoing pay as “gimmicks” that did not assist individuals.
“Most of those senators are millionaires to start with, proper? And all these congressmen which are complaining about it, they already acquired 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 really 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 by way of Getty Imag
Gallego is successfully proper about not taking pay being a gimmick, Burgat instructed ABC Information, on condition that members of Congress — beneath 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 year 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, as an illustration, introduced a bill 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.
