Salary Congress made during Democrat Shutdown

Lawmakers Cashed $20K Each During Record Shutdown

Members of Congress collected more than $20,000 apiece during the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, even as millions of Americans went without pay and essential services.

President Donald Trump ended the U.S. record-long, 43-day standoff Wednesday night after a small group of moderate Democrats broke ranks to join Republicans in passing a short-term funding measure.

The White House estimates the shutdown inflicted roughly $15 billion in weekly economic damage, with 60,000 private-sector jobs lost.

While 1.3 million active-duty service members, over 750,000 Guard and Reserve troops, and roughly 1.4 million federal workers faced furloughs or worked without pay, lawmakers continued receiving their constitutionally protected salaries.

*Some lawmakers declined or donated their checks, including Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.

*Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., blocked a bipartisan proposal to suspend congressional pay during shutdowns.

*Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., did not accept his salary, his office said.

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A U.S. Representative makes an annual salary of $174,000, while leaders have higher pay: the Speaker of the House earns $223,500, and House Majority and Minority Leaders earn $193,400. These figures are the same for members of both the House and the Senate, and are the base salary before any additional allowances are considered.