Long Beach’s two congressional representatives announced that they will be refusing their federal paychecks in solidarity with the furloughed government workers who are not getting paid during the shutdown.
As the federal shutdown enters its second week, both Alan Lowenthal of the 47th District and Janice Hahn of the 44th District have joined the more than 120 Capitol Hill lawmakers on both sides of the aisle in forfeitting their upcoming paychecks.
More than 800,000 federal employees have been out of work since October 1 because congress has not yet passed a governmental spending bill, meaning the government does not have the legal right to spend money. There are a myriad of political reasons why a spending bill has not yet been passed for this fiscal year, but the largest bargaining chip is the Affordable Care Act, which Democrats insist be fully funded, but Republicans are refusing to fund.
Services from passport processing to national museum staffing have all ceased since last week and many government-funded assistance programs–such as Woman, Infants and Children (WIC)–are struggling to continue operating with limited emergency contigency funds. Some workers with jobs deemed “essential services” are being forced to work without pay, though according to the L.A. Times, the House met on Saturday and unanimously approved legislation that ensures back pay for furloughed government workers.
“This shutdown is doing real damage and it should have never happened,” Hahn said on her Facebook page on Friday. “Until it is over, I am standing with federal workers across the country. I will not take my salary until federal workers receive theirs. Enough already. Let’s get back to work.”
Many of Washington’s richest lawmakers have already agreed to forgoe or donate their salaries to charity groups during the shutdown. In California, at least 15 of the state’s 53 House members have asked for their pay to be withheld.
California’s two senators, Diane Feinstein and Barbara Boxer, have also both agreed to donate their salaries to charities or groups affected by the shutdown.
“I had sincerely hoped we could avoid an irresponsible government shutdown by passing a reasonable solution to fund the government,” said Lowenthal in a statement. “I refuse to accept my paycheck until federal employees who must work during the shutdown are paid. I am proud to stand with the hardworking federal employees of my district and across the nation by ensuring that I am treated no differently in this situation.”
Lowenthal on Monday released a copy of his letter to the Capitol’s Chief Administrative Officer in which he requests his paycheck be withheld. An excerpt is below:
I am writing to ask that I not be given my salary, earned for the month of October and thereafter, as long as the lapse in appropriations continues. As you know appropriations were not enacted prior to the start of fiscal year (FY) 2014, which began on October 1, 2013.
Because there was no appropriations legislation enacted, certain elements of the federal government were shut down. When this shutdown occurred, hundreds of thousands of federal employees were furloughed. Others, who are deemed to perform essential services, will be forced to work. Despite the fact that these latter employers have to work, they will not receive paychecks during the period of a government shutdown.
However, it is my understanding that I, as a Member of Congress, will continue to receive a paycheck. I believe it is simply wrong and unfair for me to receive my salary while Americans working hard across the country as part of our federal workforce receive nothing until this appropriations crisis is resolved. Therefore, I ask that until federal employees, who must work during a federal government shutdown, are paid, I not be given my paycheck
This is the first shutdown since late 1995, when the government went dark for 21 days.
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