WASHINGTON, D.C. — New Hampshire Congresswoman Maggie Goodlander and Congresswoman Julie Fedorchak of North Dakota on April 14 led a bipartisan group of freshman Members of Congress in urging Speaker Mike Johnson to bring H.R. 5891, the Withhold Member Pay During Shutdowns Act, to the House floor for a vote. The bipartisan, Goodlander-backed bill passed unanimously out of the House Administration Committee on March 18, 2026.
H.R. 5891 would place Member salaries in escrow during a government shutdown, ensuring compliance with the 27th Amendment to the Constitution while holding Congress accountable
In their letter to Republican leadership, the bipartisan Members wrote, “As new Members of Congress, we came to Washington with fresh energy and perspective, committed to delivering results and restoring trust in this institution. One of our most fundamental responsibilities under Article I of the Constitution is funding the federal government. While we will continue to have honest disagreements over spending levels and policy priorities, we can all agree that Congress must fulfill this basic duty. Yet, our freshmen term is marked with two government shutdowns, including the longest in history…We agree on a very basic principle: our constituents sent us here to govern, and a key part of governing is passing a federal budget. If we fail in this very fundamental responsibility, we should not be paid.”
The bipartisan Members urged House Leadership to bring H.R. 5891 to a vote on the House Floor immediately.
CLICK HERE to read the full letter.
Tuesday marked Day 59 of the partial government shutdown, House and Senate Democrats have tried to pass bills to fund TSA, FEMA, the Coast Guard, and other important functions of the Department of Homeland Security at least 15 times.
