Bipartisan Bill Would Stop Congress' Pay During Shutdown

WASHINGTON, DC— Texas Republican Congressman Dan Crenshaw is making waves on Capitol Hill with a bipartisan bill that, if passed, would withhold pay for the president, vice president and members of Congress during government shutdowns.

The bill, known as the Solidarity in Salary Act of 2019, was introduced on the House floor on Tuesday by Crenshaw, Maine Democratic Rep. Jared Golden New York Democratic Rep. Max Rose.

Crenshaw, who was elected to his first term in November, was one of several congressional lawmakers who signed a pledge to not accept a paycheck during the government shutdown.

If Houston’s hardworking federal workers aren’t getting paid, then I shouldn’t be paid either. My pay will be withheld until the government reopens.

Democrats have still not put forth any border security proposals. They can end this right now, and secure our border. Win-win. pic.twitter.com/ve5hGi1txa
— Dan Crenshaw (@DanCrenshawTX) January 15, 2019

More than 800,0oo federal employees were furloughed for more than a month while House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and President Donald Trump locked horns over a wall and enhanced security on the U.S. southern border.

The 35-day stalemate ended when Trump agreed to a deal to reopen the government for three weeks to negotiate border security.

In a recently published report by The Hill, Golden said it was wrong for congressional members to accept a paycheck when government employees were furloughed.

"This legislation will help prevent the American people from being political pawns for party leaders and help return sanity to the task of funding the government," Golden said in a statement.

If it is passed, the legislation would halt the salaries of the president, vice president and lawmakers during the shutdowns. As is the case with the furloughed federal workers, those officials' salaries would be repaid when the government reopened.

Crenshaw said leaders in the lawmaking echelons of government should feel the pinch of not being paid during a shutdown, just like others on the federal payroll.

"Federal employees should never have to carry the burden caused by a dysfunctional government,"Crenshaw said in a statement.

(For more news and information like this, subscribe to Patch for free. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app; download the free Patch Android app here.)

Image: Shutterstock

Send your news tips and story ideas to bryan.kirk@patch.com