WASHINGTON D.C. — KIRO 7’s Washington D.C. correspondent asked Washington State lawmakers this question:
With some congressional and federal staffers not getting paid Tuesday, is the Congressman surrendering any part of his paycheck during the shutdown?
Members of Congress were given until the afternoon to respond and told that non-responses would be reported, too.
Rep. Suzan DelBene
From spokesman Viet Shelton:
Yes. Rep. DelBene will be returning her personal salary back to the Treasury for the duration of the shutdown. She is also one of the members that has been returning 8.2% of her salary since sequestration as a matter of fairness to the employees who have had their salary cuts as part of the across the board cuts.
Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers:
From spokeswoman Riva Litman:
Congresswoman McMorris Rodgers will have her pay withheld until the government reopens.
Rep. Derek Kilmer
From spokesman Stephen Carter:
“Should the government shut down, I will give up my pay to lead by example in the hopes that Congress will stop the dysfunction, stop the self-imposed crises, and start working on a balanced, bipartisan, long-term budget,” Kilmer said in a statement.
Rep. Denny Heck
From spokesman Phil Gardner:
“I am making an immediate contribution from my salary to support families of furloughed employees negatively affected by the shutdown,” Heck said in a statement. “I am working tirelessly to end the shut down as soon as possible so these deserving men and women can go back to work.”
Rep. Rick Larsen
From spokesman Bryan Thomas:
No. Congress is responsible for ending the Republican shutdown, and Rep. Larsen’s constituents expect him to be working hard toward that end. He will be.
Rep. Adam Smith
From spokesman Ben Halle:
“No. I am going to keep working hard to open the government up as soon as possible,” Smith said in a statement. “I again urge House Republicans to bring up a vote on the clean funding measure that the Senate has passed, so we can end this unnecessary, Republican shutdown.”
Rep. Jim McDermott
"I don’t have so much money I can throw my money away. I would be in the same problem. How do I pay my mortgage payments? I didn’t bring this on. The constitution says we’re paid. Pay is allotted. I’m going to take my pay.”
Sen. Patty Murray
From spokesman Matt McAlvanah:
Senator Murray believes that members of Congress should be treated no differently than other federal workers who are currently working without pay. That’s why she has supported legislation that unanimously passed the Senate which would ensure Congressional members would not be paid during a government shutdown, unfortunately it was never brought up in the House. She continues to support that approach. Senator Murray will continue fighting to end the Republican shutdown so that federal workers and others affected by this manufactured crisis can get back to work.
Sen. Maria Cantwell
From spokesman Jared Leopold:
I won't be able to have answer by 230. May have one later.
Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler
From spokesman Casey Bowman:
Jaime will be donating 100% of her salary to a local charity until congress gets the government back up and running.
No response from Rep. Dave Reichert.
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