Members of Congress get paid during a shutdown. Some want to change that

Lawmakers are pushing a flurry of bills that would change how pay and federal benefits are handled during a shutdown, including some aimed at their own House.

Most of these are messaging bills, designed to highlight the pain of federal workers while Republicans and Democrats spar over who’s to blame for the current government funding lapse, which began Wednesday. But it’s worth noting that the last shutdown in 2019 led to a concrete change, with Congress passing a law to guarantee backpay for many furloughed workers.

Unlike most federal employees, members of Congress still collect a paycheck while the government is shuttered, thanks to constitutional provisions. That’s not a good look, many acknowledge.

Rep. Mike Kennedy, R-Utah, for example, introduced a bill Tuesday that would pro