House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries sidestepped a question Thursday about withholding his paychecks during the federal government shutdown, claiming that the shutdown would not last long enough for him to have to make a decision.
Jeffries said the members of Congress themselves would be able to make the choice to receive or deny their pay while federal workers across the country are faced with no choice but to lose their paycheck in the shutdown. When Jeffries was specifically asked about his paycheck status, he said the question was “not even a right one.”
“First of all, that question is not even a right one because we’re anticipating that this shutdown issue will be resolved well in advance of our next paycheck, which as you all know, members of Congress are paid on a monthly basis,” Jeffries said at a press conference.
The base annual salary for a member of the House is $174,000. Majority and minority leaders, such as Jeffries, earn $193,400 a year, while the Speaker of the House earns an annual salary of $223,500.
Other members of Congress were less subtle about whether they would be withholding their paychecks the shutdown. Democratic Arizona Sen. Ruben Gallego told reporters Wednesday that he would be retaining his paychecks in order to provide for his family.
“I’m not wealthy, and I have three kids. I would basically be missing, you know, mortgage payments, rent payments, child support,” Gallego said. “So it’s not feasible, not gonna happen.”
Republican South Carolina Rep. Nancy Mace, who is running to be governor of the Palmetto State, announced Wednesday she would be forfeiting her paycheck, saying, “Leader’s don’t ask their employees to do something they themselves would NOT do.”
Other Republicans, such as Reps. Chip Roy and Keith Self of Texas, and Kat Cammack of Florida have all requested their paychecks be withheld until the shutdown ends.
Democratic New Jersey Sen. Andy Kim has also released a statement formally requesting his payment be paused.
The federal government shutdown, which began Wednesday at 12:01A.M., is anticipated to furlough 750,000 employees — including Congressional staffers — according to the Congressional Budget Office.
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