Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are calling for congressional salaries to also be furloughed during the federal government shutdown.
“Next time we have a gov shutdown, Congressional salaries should be furloughed as well,” Rep.-elect Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez tweeted on Saturday. “It’s completely unacceptable that members of Congress can force a government shutdown on partisan lines & then have Congressional salaries exempt from that decision. Have some integrity.”
Next time we have a gov shutdown, Congressional salaries should be furloughed as well.
It’s completely unacceptable that members of Congress can force a government shutdown on partisan lines & then have Congressional salaries exempt from that decision.
Have some integrity. https://t.co/BgueNNjf0f
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@Ocasio2018) December 22, 2018
More than 420,000 federal workers who are considered essential work without pay during the shutdown. Those employees will eventually receive back pay. Another 380,000 government employees are be furloughed and home without pay.
The shutdown went into effect at midnight Friday after the Senate could not pass legislation that included a $5 billion for a U.S.-Mexico border- wall. The House passed the legislation on Thursday after President Trump said earlier in the day he would not sign any spending bill without wall funding.
The Senate adjourned Saturday afternoon with no deal in sight. The Senate will return for a pro forma meeting on Monday, but it will not be in full session until Thursday.
On Twitter, Rep. Dave Joyce, R-Ohio, said that if Congress “Can’t keep the government fully operational, we shouldn’t get paid.”
“It’s that simple,” Joyce said in a tweet, which included a letter to Chief Administration Officer Phillip Kiko.
Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., also said on Twitter that she submitted a letter Saturday requesting her pay be withheld during the shutdown.
I submitted a letter today requesting that my pay be withheld during this partial government shutdown: pic.twitter.com/9glqRgmlCG
— Rep. Elise Stefanik (@RepStefanik) December 22, 2018
Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto said on Twitter that she did not want to be paid either.
“Sadly, President Trump has brought our country into yet another crisis right before the holidays. We should be working together to end to this shutdown,” the Nevada Democrat said.
She added: “I cannot take a salary during a government shutdown knowing that so many federal workers in Nevada and across the country will go without pay. I’ll be donating my salary to a Nevada charity for every day of the Trump shutdown.”
I cannot take a salary during a government shutdown knowing that so many federal workers in Nevada and across the country will go without pay. I’ll be donating my salary to a Nevada charity for every day of the Trump shutdown.
— Senator Cortez Masto (@SenCortezMasto) December 22, 2018
