'Pure hypocrisy': GOP senators put colleagues on blast for taking paychecks during record shutdown

WASHINGTON, DC: The ink’s barely dry on the deal ending the record-breaking 41-day government shutdown, but some GOP lawmakers are upset that thousands of federal workers and military personnel went weeks without pay, while members of Congress kept pocketing their six-figure salaries.

“Democrats just caused the longest shutdown in our nation’s history and proved they’re willing to deprive millions of hardworking Americans of their paychecks — members of our military, federal law enforcement, FAA, Capitol Police — all while cashing their own paychecks,” Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla) told the New York Post.

“And Dems have already said they’re willing to do it again,” Scott added.

The shutdown left everything from airport control towers to federal offices in limbo, but didn’t slow the money flowing to Capitol Hill. Members of Congress continued to collect their annual $174,000 paychecks, which are guaranteed by the Constitution and protected by the 27th Amendment that bars lawmakers from changing their pay mid-term.

GOP Senators call out 'pure hypocrisy'

Scott is pushing his 'No Budget, No Pay Act,' which would cut off congressional paychecks until lawmakers actually pass a budget and all 12 appropriations bills for the year.

“It’s pure hypocrisy,” Scott seethed. “Our military and federal employees shouldn’t be punished because Congress can’t do its job! It’s time to pass my No Budget, No Pay Act that says if we can’t fund the government, members shouldn’t get paid. Period.”

Scott’s bill is now sitting in committee, but he’s not alone in wanting lawmakers to feel the sting of their own making.

Sen John Kennedy (R-La) also expressed his frustration. Speaking on Fox News’ The Will Cain Show, Kennedy said he was disappointed that his proposal to withhold lawmaker pay during the shutdown didn’t make it into the final deal.

“My only disappointment in the deal that we have, I strongly wanted a provision added that senators cannot be paid during the shutdown,” Kennedy said. “It’s called shared sacrifice. It’s called leadership. We were getting paid, but our staff wasn’t.”

Kennedy, who declined his salary, was disgusted at the situation. “I didn’t take my salary, but our staff wasn’t getting paid, and air traffic controllers and our military … I thought it was the height of hypocrisy," he said.

He’s pushing two bills to fix it, namely the 'No Shutdown Paychecks to Politicians Act,' which would halt pay altogether during shutdowns, and the 'Withhold Member Pay During Shutdowns Act,' which cleverly skirts the constitutional issue by putting those paychecks in escrow until after the November 2026 elections.

“My leadership blocked me from bringing that bill, but I’m not going to stop. I’m going to keep coming,” Kennedy vowed.

House Republicans introduce their own bills

Over in the House, Rep Bryan Steil (R-Wis) is backing Kennedy’s play. He requested that his own pay be withheld during the shutdown and introduced the House version of Kennedy’s bill.

“There is no reason our government should be shut down in the first place,” Steil told the Post. “If our service members, men and women of federal law enforcement, and other essential employees are working without pay during the Schumer Shutdown, members of Congress should not receive pay.”

“This legislation ensures that members of Congress do not get paid during the ongoing shutdown and are treated the same as every other federal employee,” Steil added.

It's worth noting that many lawmakers chose to cash in. According to ABC News, 55 out of 100 senators (26 Republicans, 28 Democrats, and one independent) either refused or donated their paychecks during the shutdown.

Still, Sen Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio) called the whole situation “gross" and blasted the idea of lawmakers collecting checks while essential government workers “suffer.”

“It’s gross and needs to end,” he said.

Moreno introduced the SHUTDOWN Act last month and already referred it to committee. His version would slap members of Congress with a daily tax during any government shutdown.

“Democrats like Hakeem Jeffries want to get paid for shutting the government down,” Moreno alleged. “That’s ridiculous. If Congress can’t do the bare minimum, we don’t deserve a paycheck.”

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