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Shutdown: Federal lawmakers received pay while troops went without

by thebesig••17

Readers on the site are familiar with a rich man’s offering to pay the troops during one of the paydays during the shutdown. While Congress personnel continued receiving their pay, servicemembers and federal workers faced going without pay until the end of the shutdown. Not all Congress personnel accepted their pay during the shutdown, but most continued to receive their pay.

 From Newsmax:

Rank-and-file members earned about $476 per day, totaling more than $10 million combined during the lapse, according to data reviewed by the New York Post.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., the Hill’s highest paid lawmaker, took in more than $26,000.

Some lawmakers declined or donated their checks, including Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.

Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., blocked a bipartisan proposal to suspend congressional pay during shutdowns.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., did not accept his salary, his office said.

The shutdown caused food stamp disruptions, air-travel delays, and soaring reliance on food banks.

Progressive Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., criticized Democrat colleagues for ending the shutdown and restoring the blocked federal funds that Democrats sought to blame Trump for not delivering.

Former Trump budget official Joe Grogan blasted Democrat lawmakers, saying they “should be forced to live like Americans” who bore the brunt of the shutdown’s fallout.

All affected federal personnel will now receive back pay following Trump’s signing of the funding bill.

Additional Reading:

Newsmax Wires. (2025, November 13). Lawmakers cashed $20K each during record shut down. Newsmax. Link.

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17 thoughts on “Shutdown: Federal lawmakers received pay while troops went without”

  2. Chuck Schumer, who has never made over $220K a year, as of last year, is somehow worth about $8,000,000. He can draw all he needs out of his Morgan Stanley IRA accounts.

  4. I hope between now and February, they institute Congress no pay for no budget shutdown AND then also no stock trading for Congress…..
    And AOC will turn Conservative and be waiting for me at home this evening with a bottle of baby Oil for a massage.

    (Hey, since I’m dreaming…..)

    2. Unfortunately the “they” that has to implement it is Congress themselves. Anyone taking odds on that bet?

  6. Some lawmakers declined or donated their checks, including Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.

    Yet he wants to sue the govt (us, the tax payers) 1/2 Mill for the Jack Smith spying case! It was wrong but he should sue Smith and the judge personally.

    1. The DOJ needs to prosecute Jack Smith and set the conditions for a civil suit against him. Lindsey Graham can sue Jack Smith and hope for a judgment.

      Taxpayers shouldn’t be on the hook to pay for Jack Smith’s (and anyone else’s) fuckup.

  7. I have a pitch for a new law to avoid future shutdowns: EVERYONE in the government CAN’T draw a paycheck AND every Senator and Representative must eat ONE rotten egg a day while the shutdown is ongoing.

  8. Whether you like your rep or not, most everyone can eat a bag of dicks. How many put their money where their mouth is and donated to the troops or essential personnel instead of waiting for a rich person to open his/her wallet. Screw them like they screwed us.

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