Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, announced he has asked the Senate's financial clerk to withhold his salary for the duration of the Department of Homeland Security shutdown, arguing that members of Congress should not continue receiving pay while front-line federal workers go without.
"I have asked the Financial Clerk of the Senate to hold my salary during the DHS shutdown," Cruz wrote on X. "It's not right for Members of Congress to be paid while the men and women at DHS are not."
The move comes as the partial government shutdown, limited to DHS, drags on following a breakdown in negotiations over the agency's funding.
The lapse began Feb. 14 after lawmakers failed to pass a full-year appropriations bill for DHS despite earlier stopgap measures that kept the government temporarily funded.
At the center of the impasse is a dispute over immigration policy. Democrats have pushed for changes to enforcement practices at agencies such as Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection, while Republicans have sought to preserve — and in some cases strengthen — existing enforcement measures.
The disagreement has stalled funding for DHS even as the rest of the federal government remains open.
The shutdown has had visible consequences, particularly for the Transportation Security Administration, whose officers are working without pay.
Reports of longer airport security lines and staffing shortages have raised concerns about travel disruptions and national security readiness.
Cruz has been outspoken about those impacts, warning that the funding lapse is placing unnecessary strain on essential personnel.
He has also suggested breaking the deadlock by funding certain DHS components — such as border enforcement agencies — separately, a proposal that reflects growing Republican frustration with the negotiations.
While Cruz's decision to forgo his salary is largely symbolic, it underscores a broader argument among Republicans that lawmakers should share in the financial burden faced by federal workers during a shutdown.
Under current law, members of Congress continue to receive pay during funding lapses, while many federal employees are either furloughed or required to work without immediate compensation until funding is restored.
On Tuesday, senators moved quickly to finalize a potential deal to end the shutdown, advancing a plan that would fund most of DHS — including unpaid TSA airport workers — while leaving out ICE, which has been at the center of the dispute.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., described the talks as "positive and productive," signaling momentum toward a resolution that would restore funding to large portions of the agency without major policy changes.
Thune told Newsmax the proposal could come to the floor as soon as Tuesday, depending on Democrat cooperation.
"It really depends on the hands of Democrats," Thune told Newsmax's Kilmeny Duchardt during the leadership press conference. "We're ready to move, and we believe the legislative text is available. With consent, we can get on it — we can do it today."
Nicole Weatherholtz ✉
Nicole Weatherholtz, a Newsmax general assignment reporter covers news, politics, and culture. She is a National Newspaper Association award-winning journalist.
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