'Washington's Dysfunction Is Unacceptable': Moulton Defers Pay During Government Shutdown

SALEM, MA — U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton (D-Salem) said he will defer his Congressional pay for the duration of the federal government shutdown in a letter to the U.S. House of Representatives Chief Administrative Officer that he released on the first day of the shutdown on Wednesday.

"I represent thousands of federal employees, government contractors, and their families in Massachusetts, who will be furloughed or deemed essential and required to work without pay," Moulton's letter said. "Washington's dysfunction is unacceptable. Until both parties come to the table, do their job, and reopen the government, Members of Congress should not receive pay."

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Moulton blamed the Trump Administration and Congressional Republicans for the shutdown, saying that Democrats were seeking a "bipartisan spending agreement that keeps health care costs affordable for Americans."

"Members of Congress should not be paid while the people we serve are left in limbo," Moulton said in a Wednesday statement. "If we can't be counted on to keep the government open, then we shouldn't collect a paycheck while dedicated public servants suffer the consequences."

About 750,000 federal workers, including some from Massachusetts, are expected to be furloughed, and some potentially fired, after President Donald Trump and Congress failed to strike an agreement
to keep government programs and services running by Wednesday's deadline.

Many offices will be shuttered, perhaps permanently, as Trump vows to "do things that are irreversible, that are bad" as retribution. The economic fallout is expected to ripple nationwide.

Republicans crafted a short-term measure to fund the government through Nov. 21, but Democrats insisted the measure address their concerns on health care.

The Senate rejected the measure on Tuesday on a 55-54 vote that fell short of the 60 votes needed to advance the bill.

(Patch Editor Jessie Castellano and Associated Press material contributed to this report.)

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