Most of New York’s congressional delegation is declining to say whether or not they’re nonetheless cashing paychecks as greater than 100,000 Division of Homeland Safety (DHS) staff have gone unpaid for a second week amid the partial authorities shutdown.
Solely two Empire State congressional places of work responded to The Submit’s inquiries about whether or not their bosses are persevering with to just accept their six-figure salaries whereas Coast Guard members, Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screeners and others staff throughout the DHS umbrella brace for missed paychecks.
Rep. Pat Ryan’s (D-NY) workplace was the one one which signaled their member wouldn’t settle for pay.
“Pat’s coverage is to not take paychecks throughout shutdowns,” a spokesman for the Hudson Valley congressman stated.
Rep. Laura Gillen (D-NY) responded however declined to say if she can be accepting her $174,000 wage.
“The White Home and Congress should proceed to barter in good religion to cross significant bipartisan reforms of ICE and finish the DHS shutdown,” New York’s 4th District rep stated in a press release. “Till then, I’m combating to alleviate the shutdown’s impacts on our frontline federal employees, together with TSA brokers and FEMA employees, and cross the Pay Our Troops Act to make sure members of the Coast Guard don’t miss a paycheck.”
The 26 different members of New York’s delegation, together with Senate Minority Chief Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and all seven Republican Home members, didn’t reply to The Submit’s requests for remark.
“Why would Chuck Schumer and Democrats who constantly shut down authorities assume their very own paychecks are extra necessary than the members of the Coast Guard and TSA brokers who preserve households protected each single day?” Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) informed The Submit.
Scott, who has donated his wage his complete time within the Senate, has pushed laws that might stop members of Congress from being paid till each chambers approve a funds decision and cross all common appropriations payments for the fiscal yr.
“My No Price range, No Pay Act says that when Congress fails to do probably the most fundamental a part of its job – by funding the federal government – and drive a shutdown, members ought to really feel the identical penalties they’re inflicting on others,” the senator stated.
In the identical vein, Sen. Bernie Moreno’s (R-Ohio) SHUTDOWN Act would penalize members of Congress by imposing a every day tax throughout a authorities shutdown.
“Democrats like Hakeem Jeffries need to receives a commission for shutting the federal government down,” Moreno stated in a press release.. “That’s ridiculous. If Congress can’t do the naked minimal, we don’t deserve a paycheck.”
Moreno’s workplace declined to say whether or not the senator is accepting his paycheck amid the DHS shutdown.
New York politicians who didn’t reply to requests for touch upon withholding pay embody Democratic Chief Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY), and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY).
On Tuesday, Sen. Jon Husted (R-Ohio) formally requested that the monetary clerk of the Senate withhold his wage till the partial authorities shutdown ends.
“I can not in good conscience settle for a paycheck whereas TSA officers, FEMA personnel and Coast Guard members are about to overlook theirs,” Husted stated in a press release. “ I’ll withhold my wage till a invoice is handed to reopen the federal government.”
The most recent lapse in federal funding – which started on Valentine’s Day – marks the third time this fiscal yr that DHS has shut down.
Roughly 120,000 DHS staff are working with out pay as Democrats and the White Home stay seemingly far aside on a deal to fund the division, Semafor reported earlier this week, citing inner numbers compiled by the Trump administration.
About 140,000 DHS staff are nonetheless getting paid, in keeping with the outlet, together with immigration and legislation enforcement officers funded by final summer time’s One Huge Lovely Invoice Act.
Democratic leaders are demanding guardrails on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) brokers, who’re nonetheless being paid amid the shutdown, as a situation for funding DHS.
