We, the people of the United States, demand that Members of Congress be treated no differently than the federal workers and service members they represent during a government shutdown.

When the government shuts down, nearly 4 million federal workers and active-duty military members face delayed or zero pay, causing financial hardship for families who serve this nation every day. Meanwhile, Members of Congress continue to receive full salary without interruption. This is unacceptable.

We call on Congress to immediately pass legislation that suspends or escrows congressional pay during any federal government shutdown and prevents lawmakers from receiving that pay until the government is reopened and all affected federal workers and military members receive their back pay.

No elected official should collect a paycheck while the people they represent, including federal employees, veterans, and the Armed Forces, are forced to work without pay or go without income.

America was founded on the principle of government by the people, for the people. If Congress fails to keep the government open, they should not be rewarded for that failure.

We demand fairness. We demand accountability. We demand that Congress stop getting paid during shutdowns until the American workers and service members they represent are paid too.