Several members of Congress are asking for their pay to be withheld during the government shutdown.
- Members of Congress asking for pay to be withheld
- Many also plan to donate pay to charity
- Spending bill failed in the Senate
Many also said they would also donate their pay to charity.
Rep. John Delaney of Maryland shared his plans in a Twitter post on Saturday.
“I don’t think it’s right for me to get paid while my constituents are being furloughed and important services are being limited,” Delaney, a Democrat, wrote in a tweet.
Delaney also said he would donate the pay he receives during the shutdown to charity.
Republicans Reps. Mia Love of Utah and Rick Allen of Georgia joined him. Both tweeted on Saturday they would not accept pay during the shutdown.
On Sunday, Rep. Ron DeSantis of Florida joined the growing list of lawmakers who will not be accepting pay while the government is shut down.
“Members of Congress should be treated like everyone else,” DeSantis, a Republican, wrote in a tweet. “It is wrong that Congress gets paid during a lapse in appropriations yet members of our military do not. I’m having my pay withheld and will donate any backpay to charity.”
Members of Congress should be treated like everyone else. It is wrong that Congress gets paid during a lapse in appropriations yet members of our military do not. I’m having my pay withheld and will donate any backpay to charity. pic.twitter.com/u2VCFHjIgN
— Ron DeSantis (@RepDeSantis) January 21, 2018
Attached to his tweet was a picture of a letter addressed to the chief administrative officer asking that his pay be withheld.
Other members of Congress who plan to donate their pay during the government shutdown include Republican Rep. Bob Latta of Ohio, Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown and Republican Rep. Jason Smith of Missouri.
The U.S. government shut down midnight Friday after the Senate failed to pass a short-term spending bill.