As the federal government shutdown stretches into its second month, several members of Utah’s congressional delegation have announced they will refuse their salaries in solidarity with the hundreds of thousands of federal workers currently going unpaid.
Utah Lawmakers Take a Stand
Sen. John Curtis (R-Utah), Rep. Mike Kennedy (R-Utah), and Rep. Blake Moore (R-Utah) are among those declining their pay during the shutdown, which began on October 1 after Congress failed to pass a federal spending bill.
Curtis formally notified the Senate financial clerk that he would not collect his salary until the government reopens. In his letter, he called the decision a matter of principle, noting that lawmakers should not be paid while essential workers go without.
Rep. Kennedy echoed that sentiment in a statement to the Deseret News, calling it “wildly inappropriate” for members of Congress to receive compensation during a shutdown that leaves federal employees struggling to pay bills.
Rep. Moore told C-SPAN on Friday that he has “opted out” of receiving paychecks until the government is back up and running. “Hopefully, we do that soon,” he added.
Meanwhile, Rep. Celeste Maloy (R-Utah) has not requested to withhold her pay but said lawmakers’ focus should remain on reopening the government and ensuring all federal employees are compensated.
Sen. Mike Lee and Rep. Burgess Owens, both Republicans, have not yet responded to inquiries about their pay decisions.
Push for “No Work, No Pay” Legislation
This isn’t the first time Utah’s delegation has raised the issue. Curtis previously introduced a “No Work, No Pay” bill during his time in the House, seeking to legally prohibit members of Congress from collecting pay during government shutdowns. The proposal failed to pass, but Kennedy reintroduced a similar version on September 30, the eve of the current shutdown.
Despite widespread public support for the idea, the bill has yet to move forward amid the broader budget stalemate.
Federal Workers Go Without Pay
The impact of the shutdown is being felt across the country. Federal workers — from National Park Service rangers to Transportation Security Administration officers — have either been furloughed or are working without pay.
Senate staffers have already missed two pay periods, while House staffers missed their first paycheck this week. Many are turning to personal savings, loans, or help from family to get by.
The Trump administration has reallocated funds to continue paying military members, but other agencies remain unpaid.
Political Battle Intensifies
Attempts to pass piecemeal funding bills for certain federal workers have repeatedly failed. Democrats initially blocked such measures, arguing they gave former President Donald Trump too much discretion in deciding which workers would be paid. Recently, Senate Democrats reversed course, but now Republicans have resisted, calling the renewed push a political move.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) thanked federal employees for continuing to serve despite missed paychecks, while blaming Democrats for the stalemate. “We just want to say thank you for your diligence and your service to the country, even though Democrats are withholding your paycheck,” Johnson said Friday.
A Shutdown on Track for the Record Books
The shutdown is now on track to become the longest in U.S. history if it extends past Tuesday. The Senate is not expected to reconvene until Monday evening, leaving little time to avert a record-breaking impasse.
Until then, Utah’s representatives say they’ll continue standing with the federal employees they serve — by forgoing their own pay.
