Which CA Senate, House members will take pay during federal government shutdown?

The House has not met since Sept. 19. The Senate rejected Democratic and Republican plans to reopen the government Thursday, its seventh attempt to break the stalemate.

But members of Congress are still due to get paid, though most Sacramento area and Central Valley members of Congress are having their pay withheld as the federal shutdown reached its ninth day with no apparent end in sight..

“If Congress can’t do its job and keep the government open, we shouldn’t collect a paycheck, either,” said Rep. Ami Bera, D-Sacramento.

Those who are not taking their pay during the shutdown include Bera and Reps. Tom McClintock, R-Elk Grove, Doris Matsui, D-Sacramento, Jim Costa, D-Fresno, Kevin Kiley, R-Roseville and Sen. Adam Schiff, D-California.

Rep. Adam Gray, D-Merced, plans to take his salary. Rep. David Valadao, R-Hanford, did not respond to requests for comment.

Most federal workers, including congressional staff, are not being paid during the shutdown but will be eligible for back pay.

Members of Congress, most of whom earn $174,000 annually, continue to receive their pay. Article I, Section 6 of the Constitution says lawmakers “shall receive a Compensation for their Services, to be ascertained by Law, and paid out of the Treasury of the United States.”

Matsui said in a letter to the House chief administrative officer that it would be “unethical” to take her pay when federal workers were being denied theirs. “Members of Congress should not be treated any differently,” said Costa in a Facebook post

Who’s not ruling out getting paid?

Gray plans to take his salary, which he would receive at the end of the month, if the shutdown is ongoing.

“Speaker (Mike) Johnson has canceled the session, and the House is currently in a district work period. Congressman Gray is back in his district holding meetings with constituents,” said Ben Rodriguez, Gray’s chief of staff.

Kiley is also working in his district. His office said earlier this week there was no need to say whether he’d take his salary, because it was not due to be paid until the end of the month. After this story was published Thursday afternoon, his office told The Sacramento Bee that he had requested his pay he withheld.

Kiley’s office provided a list of events he has attended or hosted since the House left Washington. Among them are the Roseville Kiwanis annual installation dinner, the Sierra County fire protection district meeting and the annual pet adoption event at the Placer County animal shelter.

Padilla did not say whether he is taking his pay. His office issued a statement in response to the Bee’s question:

“Trump could end this today, but instead of negotiating, he’s threatening even more pain on federal workers. House Republicans haven’t even bothered to show up to work since the shutdown began. Senator Padilla is in D.C. fighting to end their shutdown and protect affordable health care for millions of Americans. He won’t give Republicans any more leverage for Democrats to bend to Trump’s pressure.”

Valadao said in an X post this week, “My office remains open and ready to assist! While some agencies will pause or delay processing, we can continue opening cases, submitting paperwork, and asking them for updates.”

Since the shutdown began, the Senate has generally been following its usual schedule, coming to Washington Monday afternoons and leaving at the end of the week. The House, though, has not met since Sept. 19, and is not due to reconvene until Oct. 14.

Johnson has said that the House has passed its plan, which would keep the government open through November 21 at previous funded levels. The Senate, where 60 votes are needed to concur, keeps falling short of the needed votes.

This story was originally published October 9, 2025 at 12:13 PM with the headline "Which CA Senate, House members will take pay during federal government shutdown?."

David Lightman

McClatchy DC

David Lightman is a former journalist for the DCBureau