Where do Sacramento, Northern CA Congress members stand on shutdown?
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Partisan deadlock in Congress risks a federal shutdown starting Wednesday at 12:01 a.m.
- Northern California Democrats oppose GOP budget lacking health subsidy extensions.
- Republicans support short-term funding; blame Democrats for potential shutdown impact.
Sacramento-area and Central Valley members of Congress mirror the national division over whether or not to fund the government past midnight: Republicans back their plan to keep the government open, while most Democrats don’t.
California members of Congress, who will be paid during a federal government shutdown, stuck to partisan positions Tuesday as the two parties remained deadlocked.
Most members earn $174,000 in annual salary, though some, like Rep. Ami Bera, D-Sacramento, and Rep. Doris Matsui, D-Sacramento, say they’ll withhold taking their pay until a shutdown ends. Congressional staffs are expected to remain on the job without pay, but can collect back pay once the shutdown ends.
Much of the federal government shuts down at 12:01 a.m. EDT Wednesday unless Congress and President Donald Trump agree on a budget plan, which appears increasingly unlikely. Most government funding runs out Tuesday night, the end of the fiscal year.
Once the shutdown begins, essential services will continue. Social Security benefits will be paid. Military personnel will remain on duty. Airports will remain open with security and air traffic controllers working.
But the White House said Tuesday it’s ready to fire thousands of federal employees. In a memo last week to federal agencies, the White House budget office said “agencies are directed to use this opportunity to consider Reduction in Force notices” if funding is not available and the mission is “not consistent with the president’s priorities.”
Where are House members?
Complicating any quick agreement is the absence of the House. It’s been out since late last week, with no plan to return until next week. Members voted Sept. 19 on a Republican-authored plan to keep the government funded through Nov. 21.
Rep. Adam Gray, D-Merced, was one of two Democrats who didn’t vote that day. One Democrat voted yes and all other 210, including 42 from California, voted no, including Bera and Doris Matsui of Sacramento, Mike Thompson of St. Helena and Jim Costa of Fresno.
Gray said he did not want a shutdown, but could not support legislation that doesn’t include continuing enhanced health care premium subsidies, which currently are due to end Dec. 31.
“Government shutdowns are bad for the country. No responsible person wants the threat of shutdown to play so prominent a role in our process of funding the government,” he said.
Gray is arguably the nation’s most vulnerable Democrat in the 2026 mid-term elections. He won his seat last year by 187 votes in a district Trump won easily.
Republicans are trying to not let constituents forget where Gray stands.
“This shutdown is his fault, his mess, and his betrayal of the people he swore to serve,” said Christian Martinez, spokesman for the National Republican Congressional Committee, on Tuesday.
What about health subsidies?
None of the region’s Democrats said they wanted a shutdown, but couldn’t buy the idea of a budget without the subsidies.
“I do not support shutting down the government, but I will not stand by and allow my constituents to face higher health care costs or see their care stripped away,” said Costa.
Northern California Republicans could find themselves in political danger if state voters approve Proposition 50, which redraws district lines that favor Democrats.
That didn’t dissuade them from backing the GOP budget plan, which largely continues current funding and has no extension of the health subsidies.
“Government shutdowns are unproductive (and) cost billions,” said Rep. David Valadao, R-Hanford. He is pushing separate legislation with Democrats to extend the subsidies for a year.
Experts are unsure who could benefit politically from a shutdown – if anyone.
“It is always hard to say how those things play out. In the past the party that withholds votes and causes the shutdown, usually Republicans, then gets the blame,” said Thomas Holyoke, professor of political science at California State University, Fresno.
A stalled Senate
This time, though, Democrats are in that position, and it was Republicans who had balked at holding negotiations until this week.
In the Senate, where 60 votes are needed to move legislation, California’s two senators have been consistent backers of including the health subsidies. They supported a Democratic proposal to keep the government open until Oct. 31, then voted against the Republican budget.
The office of Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif., a member of the Senate Budget Committee, cited previous posts on X when asked for comment. “Trump can keep the government open by working with Democrats to make health care more affordable,” he said in one post.
Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., made the same point with a new video message. “Donald Trump is so determined to raise your health insurance costs, he’s willing to shut down the government to do it,” he charged.
This story was originally published September 30, 2025 at 12:18 PM with the headline "Where do Sacramento, Northern CA Congress members stand on shutdown?."
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