John Thune

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said Tuesday he supports legislation that would block senators from receiving paychecks during government shutdowns, calling the proposal "good policy" and an "additional incentive" to avoid funding lapses.

The Washington Examiner reported that the legislation, pushed by Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., would direct the secretary of the Senate to withhold senators' pay during government shutdowns until funding is restored.

"I committed to get it up and get a vote on it," Thune said of conversations with Kennedy as Senate Republicans prepared to advance legislation tied to immigration enforcement and Department of Homeland Security funding.

Thune said he plans to support the measure when the Senate takes an initial procedural vote Wednesday.

The proposal cleared the Senate Rules Committee unanimously in December, signaling bipartisan support, but Kennedy has repeatedly failed to secure passage through unanimous consent requests on the Senate floor.

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., blocked one attempt in November, while Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, blocked another in March.

Kennedy's legislation would take effect after the 2026 elections and is designed to address criticism that lawmakers continue receiving paychecks during shutdowns while many federal workers and congressional staff go unpaid.

Current congressional pay protections stem from a permanent allocation for lawmaker salaries dating back to 1983, along with constitutional restrictions involving congressional compensation.

The renewed debate comes as Congress continues battling over government funding and immigration spending.

Congress approved funding for most of the Department of Homeland Security at the end of last month, but Republicans are separately pursuing added multiyear funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection through budget reconciliation.

Other lawmakers have proposed related shutdown legislation. Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., introduced a separate measure that would guarantee pay for federal employees classified as essential workers during shutdowns.

President Donald Trump previously told Johnson he would try to help move that proposal through Congress, although it has not yet been scheduled for a vote.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said Tuesday that House Republicans are also considering proposals tied to congressional pay during shutdowns.

"We'll have to find out," Johnson said. "We'll see what consensus we can build on it."