The Democrat shutdown pay controversy is growing after all but four Democrats in Congress voted against a GOP funding bill that would have kept the government open. As a result, millions of federal workers now go without paychecks—while members of Congress still receive their $174,000 taxpayer-funded salaries.
Federal law ensures lawmakers are paid during a shutdown, though they can defer or donate their checks. At least six Senate Republicans, including Sen. Katie Britt (R-AL), have asked to withhold their pay, joined by some Democrats like Rep. Andy Kim (D-NJ). But many prominent Democrats who denounce the shutdown have not followed suit.
Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) rejected the idea outright, telling NBC News, “I’m not wealthy, and I have three kids. I would basically be missing, you know, mortgage payments, rent payments, child support.” The Republican National Committee blasted him for “shamelessly” taking a paycheck while federal workers are left empty-handed.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) dodged when asked if he would forgo his $193,400 salary, saying shutdown decisions were up to each member. Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) admitted, “members of Congress—we still get paid,” but has not pledged to give up her own paycheck.
Meanwhile, Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) highlighted that “our service members? Unpaid,” yet neither has announced plans to decline their salaries.
Even Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA), who warned of “tremendous hardship for a lot of federal employees,” has not said he will donate or defer his salary. Schiff himself is worth at least $1.2 million.
The contrast between rhetoric and action is stark. As Schiff himself put it, “They still have rent to pay, they still have a mortgage to pay, they still have food to buy, they still have medicine to buy.”
