A growing number of Americans are voicing their frustration with Congress over the ongoing government shutdown. A petition started by a woman in Missouri has collected more than 97,000 signatures. The petition calls for lawmakers to stop receiving pay and benefits during any government shutdown. It also suggests their salaries should be cut by two percent for every day the government remains closed, with those cuts staying in place even after the shutdown ends.
This petition highlights a deeper issue—many Americans feel that Congress should not be paid when they fail to do their most basic job: keeping the government running. Right now, while thousands of federal workers either go without pay or are furloughed, members of Congress continue to collect their full salaries. Most lawmakers make $174,000 per year, and those in leadership positions make even more.
The shutdown began on October 1, after Congress failed to agree on a funding plan. As a result, many government services have stopped, and workers are feeling the impact. Though a law passed in 2019 ensures that federal employees will receive back pay once the government reopens, the delay still causes financial stress. Essential workers must continue to work without pay, while Congress remains on the job with full compensation.
The petition says this is unfair. It argues that if average Americans suffer during a shutdown, elected officials should too. The petition calls for immediate action to freeze congressional pay during any future shutdowns. It also says Congress should be held responsible for the harm caused to families, communities, and public trust.
Some members of Congress agree with this idea. South Carolina Representative Ralph Norman has reintroduced a constitutional amendment that would stop lawmakers from getting paid during a government shutdown. Democratic Senator Andy Kim and Republican Representative Kat Cammack have also said they will refuse their pay during this time.
But under the Constitution, it is very hard to change how Congress is paid. The 27th Amendment says that any change to lawmakers’ pay can only take effect after the next election. That means Congress cannot immediately cut or stop its own pay during the current shutdown. Changing this would require a new constitutional amendment, which needs support from two-thirds of both the House and the Senate. That is a high bar to clear and makes real change unlikely in the short term.
Still, the petition is a sign that many Americans are paying attention. Political expert Mark Shanahan says the petition is more symbolic than practical. He says voters in the U.S. do not have the power to force action during a shutdown the way voters do in some other countries. In many democracies, a budget failure would lead to a confidence vote or even new elections. In the U.S., voters must wait for the next election to hold lawmakers accountable.
Some federal workers are also speaking out. One signer of the petition, who identified himself as Donald, said he is required to keep working even though he is not being paid. He said that members of Congress should face the same situation.
Representative Norman put it simply: “No one else in America would get paid for failing to fulfill their duties.” He added that accountability should not be optional for lawmakers. “Washington ought to be no different,” he said. “Congress must be held to the same standard as the people we represent.”
For now, the government remains shut down with no clear end in sight. The petition may not lead to an immediate change in the law, but it sends a message. Many Americans are tired of political games that leave regular people without pay while Congress remains untouched. As public pressure grows, lawmakers may be forced to rethink how they handle shutdowns—and how they hold themselves accountable.
