© 2026 ABC News

Why would members of Congress not take their own pay?

\"Their goal is to be empathetic,\" Casey Burgat, a professor at George Washington University's Graduate School of Political Management, told ABC News, to \"show people you feel their pain, too, and should not be advantaged when you're responsible for their lack of paycheck.\"

But while lawmakers from both parties are holding back their salaries, they're also pointing fingers.

Burgat told ABC News that this is also part of that messaging from lawmakers toward their constituents in an attempt to blame the \"other side.\"

\"PHOTO:
Andrew Caballero-reynolds/AFP via Getty Images
PHOTO: US-POLITICS-TRUMP
>

Republican Sen. Katie Britt, of Alabama, for instance, wrote on X at the beginning of October that she was having her pay withheld because \"Democrats have decided to shut down the government--furloughing our federal workers and withholding pay from our troops,\" and that she encouraged her Democratic colleagues to also withhold their pay.

Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine, of Virginia, who is also not taking pay, pointed fingers at the other party: \"In solidarity with America's federal workers, I will not accept pay during this shutdown... It's time for Republicans to meet us at the table.\"

Some of the senators whose offices confirmed to ABC News that they will be donating their salaries include Sen. Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., whose office said she is donating to health care causes and Meals on Wheels; and Republican Sen. Ashley Moody, R-Fla., who said she is giving her salary to the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay. 

\"PHOTO:
J. Scott Applewhite/AP
PHOTO: Tim Kaine
>

The office of Democratic Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., confirmed his salary is being donated to the Federal Employee Education & Assistance Fund.

Republican Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., has said he is donating his salary to the Joseph Project, a program he helped launch that connects people with jobs. 

It's unclear how many senators are still taking a paycheck. 

\"PHOTO:
Kylie Cooper/Reuters
PHOTO: 23rd day of U.S. government shutdown
>

Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., told NBC News in early October that it was not feasible for him to skip his paycheck, saying he is not wealthy and has rent, mortgage and child support payments.

In a subsequent interview on CNN, Gallego described forgoing pay as \"gimmicks\" that didn't help people.

\"Most of these senators are millionaires to begin with, right? And all these congressmen that are complaining about it, they already got paid for the whole month,\" he said. \"So, it's all one big gimmick. And when these people are complaining about this or that, what's going on is that they're not actually focusing on all these Americans that are going to lose their insurance.\" 

ABC News has reached out to Gallego's office to ask for clarification about whether Gallego is currently taking a salary but has not heard back.

\"PHOTO:
Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Imag
PHOTO: Senate Votes 10/23/25
>

Gallego is effectively right about not taking pay being a gimmick, Burgat told ABC News, given that members of Congress -- under the Constitution -- are required to be paid. That may explain why some are donating their salaries instead of deferring pay.

Many members of Congress are not independently wealthy, Burgat said, and genuinely need the salary -- which is $174,000 a year for senators and U.S. House representatives who are not in leadership.

Some lawmakers have also introduced bills that would impose financial penalties on members of Congress during a shutdown or hold off their pay.

Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, for instance, introduced a bill that would \"impose a daily tax on members of Congress during a lapse in appropriations.\" Moreno is not taking a salary during the shutdown.

ABC News' Brittany Shepherd and Emily Chang contributed to this report.

","canonicalUrl":"https://abcnews.com/Politics/members-senate-taking-paychecks-shutdown/story?id=127340274","legacySlug":"/news/story/members-senate-taking-paychecks-shutdown-127340274","noIndexNoFollow":false},"publishTime":"11:07","publishDate":"11-10-2025","updatedTime":"11:20","updatedDate":"11-10-2025","socialImage":{"alt":"The U.S. Capitol on November 6, 2025 in Washington, DC. The government shutdown enters its 37th day, the longest in U.S. history.","credit":"Eric Lee/Getty Images","ratio":"16x9","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/Politics/2244846596_1762659595234_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg","width":992,"height":558},"datePublished":"11/10/2025 11:07:00 GMT","video":{"live":false,"id":127340274,"headline":"Which Senators are taking paycheck amid shutdown?","mediaAssetTitle":"MEMBERS OF CONGRESS GETTING PAID DURING SHUTDOWN","description":"Some senators are donating their salaries in solidarity with federal workers.","duration":"4:34","posterImg":{"url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/default-img-undefined.png","width":608,"height":342},"video":{"feed":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2025/11/251104_gma_digital_2_govtshutdown_explainer_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8"},"playlist":["132488083","132306053","132266872"]},"relatedItems":[{"contentType":"video","date":"April 29, 2026","headline":"Grand jury indicts former FBI director over Instagram post","section":"News","slug":"/video/132488083","id":"132488083","image":{"alt":"VIDEO: Grand jury indicts former FBI director over Instagram post","credit":"ABCNews.com","ratio":"1x1","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260429_gma_thomas_comey2_706_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","width":384,"height":384},"images":{"alt":"VIDEO: Grand jury indicts former FBI director over Instagram post","credit":"ABCNews.com","crops":[{"16x9":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260429_gma_thomas_comey2_706_hpMain_16x9_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260429_gma_thomas_comey2_706_hpMain_16x9_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260429_gma_thomas_comey2_706_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"9x16":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260429_gma_thomas_comey2_706_hpMain_9x16_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260429_gma_thomas_comey2_706_hpMain_9x16_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260429_gma_thomas_comey2_706_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"1x1":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260429_gma_thomas_comey2_706_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260429_gma_thomas_comey2_706_hpMain_1x1_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260429_gma_thomas_comey2_706_hpMain_1x1_1600.jpg"}}]}},{"contentType":"video","date":"April 23, 2026","headline":"Trump orders Navy to 'shoot and kill' any boat laying mines in Strait of Hormuz","section":"News","slug":"/video/132306053","id":"132306053","image":{"alt":"VIDEO: Trump orders Navy to 'shoot and kill' any boat laying mines in Strait of Hormuz","credit":"ABCNews.com","ratio":"1x1","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","width":384,"height":384},"images":{"alt":"VIDEO: Trump orders Navy to 'shoot and kill' any boat laying mines in Strait of Hormuz","credit":"ABCNews.com","crops":[{"16x9":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_16x9_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_16x9_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"9x16":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_9x16_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_9x16_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"1x1":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_1x1_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_1x1_1600.jpg"}}]}},{"contentType":"video","date":"April 22, 2026","headline":"Fallout after Fed nominee grilled on Capitol Hill","section":"News","slug":"/video/132266872","id":"132266872","image":{"alt":"VIDEO: Fallout after Fed nominee grilled on Capitol Hill","credit":"ABCNews.com","ratio":"1x1","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","width":384,"height":384},"images":{"alt":"VIDEO: Fallout after Fed nominee grilled on Capitol Hill","credit":"ABCNews.com","crops":[{"16x9":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_16x9_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_16x9_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"9x16":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_9x16_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_9x16_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"1x1":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_1x1_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_1x1_1600.jpg"}}]}}],"relatedContentSection":"news","schemaContent":{"name":"Which Senators are taking paycheck amid shutdown?","description":"Some senators are donating their salaries in solidarity with federal workers.","duration":"4:34","uploadDate":"11-10-2025","publication":"11-10-2025","images":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/default-img-undefined.png","url":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2025/11/251104_gma_digital_2_govtshutdown_explainer_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8","contentUrl":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2025/11/251104_gma_digital_2_govtshutdown_explainer_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8","link":"https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/news/story/members-senate-taking-paychecks-shutdown-127340274"}},"playlist":[{"id":"132473181","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132497933","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132281378","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132283010","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132273278","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132231169","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132206748","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132200241","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132054443","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132054798","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132033010","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131912713","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131830583","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131834976","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131554765","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131554815","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131543053","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131432442","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131121474","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131247079","contentType":"story","section":"news"}],"kvps":{"pgtyp":"article","lang":"en","sp":"goodmorningamerica","programmatic":"true","bundleId":"com.abcnews"}},"analytics":{"accountID":"wdgnewwdgnewgmaweb","ns":"gma","pageName":"gma:news:video","pageType":"video","globalSpecVersion":"v1.08","siteDifferentiator":"gma:site","tagID":"g_page01","userABCookie":"0","section":"news","title":"Which Senators are taking paycheck amid shutdown?","pubTime":"06:07","pubDate":"11-10-2025","modTime":"06:20","modDate":"11-10-2025","taxonomyTags":"none","id":127340274,"editorialOtherSubjects":"","wordCount":"none","columns":"none","authors":"Nidhi Singh","authorsUnit":"none","authorsBureau":"none","subBrand":"Good Morning America","provider":"Good Morning America","videoName":"Which Senators are taking paycheck amid shutdown?","mediaAssetTitle":"MEMBERS OF CONGRESS GETTING PAID DURING SHUTDOWN","videoId":127340274,"mediaOnPage":"video","legacySlug":"/news/story/members-senate-taking-paychecks-shutdown-127340274"},"taboola":{}},"request":{"headers":{},"httpVersion":"1.1","method":"GET","url":"/video/127340274","vary":{"host":"www.goodmorningamerica.com","cached":true,"path":"/video/127340274","forwarded-proto":"https","device":"desktop","userab":"0"}},"viewport":{"width":1260,"height":0},"user":{}};