Senator John Kennedy Introduces Bill to Suspend Congressional Pay During Shutdown

Louisiana's own Senator John Kennedy is fed up with these government shutdowns, and honestly, who isn't? He's tossed two bills into the ring designed to hit Congress right where it hurts: the wallet.

Senator Kennedy's Radical Plan: Make Congress 'Feel the Pain' of Federal Workers

The bills, the "No Shutdown Paychecks to Politicians Act" and the "Withhold Member Pay During Shutdowns Act" are simple. They say if the government shuts down for a month, members of Congress don't get paid. But here’s the kicker: under his proposal, they don't get any back pay, either. That's real motivation.

READ MORE: The Unbelievable Quotes From Senator Kennedy

Kennedy said his goal isn't leverage, but to make Congress "feel the same pain as the folks we're failing to pay our troops, air traffic controllers, and federal workers." If they can't fund the government, he argues, they don't deserve a paycheck, plain and simple.

As Shutdown Ties Longest Record, Senator Kennedy Proposes an Extreme Solution

This whole mess has already tied the record for the longest shutdown in U.S. history, the infamous 35-day headache from late 2018 into early 2019, which was all about a border wall. The current situation is just as messy, but Kennedy’s plan is designed to push for a faster solution.

The "Withhold Member Pay During Shutdowns Act" prevents any sneaky workarounds. It mandates that their paychecks are held in special escrow accounts while the shutdown is happening.

Those funds aren't released until the start of the next full Congress. That means they have to wait a long time for their money if they can’t compromise. Will this financial consequence finally be enough to make Congress budge and do the jobs we elected them to do?