# Government Shutdown Question

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/government-shutdown-question/577812>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [April 9, 2011, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/government-shutdown-question/577812 "2011-04-09T23:33:31Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\
**Post date:** [April 9, 2011, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/government-shutdown-question/577812/1 "2011-04-09T23:33:31Z")

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Would the President continue to get paid during a US government shutdown? I assume he wouldn’t since he is a federal employee, unless he is exempt for some reason.

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**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\
**Post date:** [April 9, 2011, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/government-shutdown-question/577812/2 "2011-04-09T23:37:02Z")

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I read that all members of Congress still would be paid, so I imagine he would be too.

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**Author:** ![sevenwood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6de8d8/32.png) [@sevenwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sevenwood)\
**Post date:** [April 9, 2011, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/government-shutdown-question/577812/3 "2011-04-09T23:41:43Z")

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I (dimly) recall hearing a CNN reporter state that both Congress and the President would continue to get paid during any government shutdown.

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**Author:** ![robby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robby/32/11048_2.png) [@robby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robby)\
**Post date:** [April 10, 2011, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/government-shutdown-question/577812/4 "2011-04-10T00:47:01Z")

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> [@dolphinboy](#):
>
> Would the President continue to get paid during a US government shutdown? I assume he wouldn’t since he is a federal employee, unless he is exempt for some reason.

Both the Congress and the President would continue to be paid during a government “shutdown,” for the simple reason that they make the rules.

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**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\
**Post date:** [April 10, 2011, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/government-shutdown-question/577812/5 "2011-04-10T00:47:39Z")

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The very short story story is that the Constitution prohibits changing the pay of congressmen or the president during their term of service.

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**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\
**Post date:** [April 10, 2011, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/government-shutdown-question/577812/6 "2011-04-10T03:01:30Z")

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> [@Ravenman](#):
>
> The very short story story is that the Constitution prohibits changing the pay of congressmen or the president during their term of service.

Understood, but there still must be a complementary piece of legislation authorizing the pay. You could say that a violation of the Constitution would be occurring, but what specific legislation would authorize someone to cut a check to the Prez/member of Congress?

To me, that would be like saying that the Constitution demands that Congress provide for the general welfare, so no government shutdown and everything runs as usual.