Members of the US Senate will be paid on Friday. But if the shutdown is still going then, their employees won’t. The next scheduled paychecks can’t be cut because they cover a two-week period for which the government has no funding.
In a memorandum to Senate staffers that was first reported by Politico, the chamber’s financial clerk, Christopher J. Doby, writes that he has “no authority to pay salaries until new spending is approved.” Each individual senator has the authority to furlough his or her employees, whose salaries can range from around $30,000 for an entry-level clerk to $170,000 for a chief of staff or top policy adviser.
While some senators have pledged to “donate” their salaries as long as the shutdown lasts, the Constitution requires that they be paid regardless of the government’s budget. Most senators earn $174,000 per year, while party leaders get $193,400.
And though Doby tells Senate staffers that they will still receive their health insurance benefits (during, of all things, a shutdown caused by one party’s opposition to a health care reform law), other details of his memo suggest some employees could be facing some hardships. Payments on student loans and other obligations like mortgages and car payments will not be transmitted, forcing affected staffers to “make alternate payment arrangments.”
Those payments will be made, and all Senate staffers—about 5,000 total—will get the money they’re owed if the Senate passes a back-pay act previously adopted by the House. That bill passed the house unanimously, but some Senate Republicans have hesitated about voting on it.
Don’t Miss Another Big Story—Get Our Weekend Newsletter
Our most popular stories of the week, sent every Saturday.
Benjamin Freed joined Washingtonian in August 2013 and covers politics, business, and media. He was previously the editor of DCist and has also written for Washington City Paper, the New York Times, the New Republic, Slate, and BuzzFeed. He lives in Adams Morgan.
No Paychecks for Senate Staffers if Shutdown Continues
Senators will get paid regardless of the government's operating status, but their employees who have been working through the shutdown won't.
Don’t Miss Another Big Story—Get Our Weekend Newsletter
Our most popular stories of the week, sent every Saturday.
Benjamin Freed joined Washingtonian in August 2013 and covers politics, business, and media. He was previously the editor of DCist and has also written for Washington City Paper, the New York Times, the New Republic, Slate, and BuzzFeed. He lives in Adams Morgan.
Most Popular in News & Politics
Trump Hotel Employees Reveal What It Was Really Like Catering to the Right Wing Elite
Washington’s Most Influential People
Report Claims NFL Investigation Recommends Dan Snyder Be Forced to Sell
March 4 Isn’t the Only Date on the QAnon Calendar
American Idol Is Facing Backlash Over Claudia Conway’s Audition
Washingtonian Magazine
March 2021: The Influencers
View IssueSubscribe
Get Us on Social
Get Us on Social
Related
Where Does Abby Phillip Go From Here?
These Are the Most Influential Operatives on the Biden Campaign
Video From Fall Real Estate Market Update With Local Leaders
Washingtonian Real Estate Virtual Happy Hour
More from News & Politics
A New DC Program Lets Housebound Seniors Sign Up for Zoom Sessions with Rescue Animals
Axios Political Reporter Alexi McCammond is Teen Vogue’s New Editor
Report Claims NFL Investigation Recommends Dan Snyder Be Forced to Sell
Today’s Vaccine Signup Was Messy Again. Next Week Doesn’t Look Promising.
A DC Experiment in Direct Cash Transfers to Fight Poverty
The Capitol Police’s Request to Retain the National Guard Took DC Officials by Surprise
DC’s Covid Vaccine Appointments Were Filled in Under 10 Minutes This Morning
Chasten Buttigieg and Doug Emhoff Hung Out on Capitol Hill Yesterday