Frustration over government shutdowns has led senators to consider what was once unthinkable: forfeiting their pay during a funding lapse.
In a rare show of bipartisanship, the Senate voted unanimously Wednesday to move forward on a resolution that would withhold member paychecks during future shutdowns, a move that comes after months of protracted spending fights and nearly back-to-back, record-breaking funding lapses.
On a 99-0 vote, the Senate invoked cloture on a motion to proceed to a resolution from Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., which would require the Senate secretary to withhold compensation for the duration of a shutdown. Sen. Pete Ricketts, R-Neb., who was returning to Washington after a Senate primary Tuesday night, missed the vote but would have voted in favor of the measure, according to his office.
