The congressman will donate his pay from the shutdown week to charity.
The ongoing government shutdown has been having an impact on some 800,000 federal employees who aren’t paid for the period. To show solidarity with the workers, Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi has requested that his salary from be withheld. The Illinois Democrat has asked for his salary to be stopped from January 1 until the shutdowns ends.
The US Representative from Illinois’ 8th congressional district also said that he will be donating his pay from the December portion of the shutdown to local charities.
“The federal shutdown would end immediately if President Trump chose to stop holding federal workers hostage to his demand for billions in taxpayer dollars for an unnecessary wall,” Krishnamoorthi said. “I am actively working and voting to restore funding and provide pay to the Border Agents, TSA staff, tax refund processors, federal loan administrators, and other workers who are doing their jobs in service to the American people. In solidarity with government employees working for the American people without pay, furloughed workers, and taxpayers denied government services because of this shutdown, I’ve requested that my salary be withheld until the conclusion of the shutdown. I’m donating my pay from the December portion of the shutdown to charity. It is my hope that the President embraces our efforts to reopen the government and finally agrees to bring this shutdown to an end.”
The US government has been partially shut since the midnight of December 22, 2018. About 25 percent of the federal government is either at a halt or is functioning at a slower pace. The shutdown occurred because the budget to fund the operations has not been approved by Congress.
The biggest repercussion of this shutdown has been on the employees considered “non-essential,” who have been granted a leave of absence. The remaining employees are expected to be at work but would not be paid until the budget is approved.
Here is a copy of Krishnamoorthi’s letter to Philip G. Kiko, the Chief Administrative Officer, requesting withholding his salary:
January 7, 2019
Mr. Philip G. Kiko
Chief Administrative Officer
HB-26, Capitol Building
Washington, DC 20515
Dear Mr. Kiko,
As with the previous two shutdowns that have occurred during my time as a Member of Congress, I know that in the event of a lapse in appropriations, Members will continue to receive their salary despite the government shutdown.
I respectfully request that my pay be withheld during the current lapse in government appropriations starting on January 1st, 2019, and ask it continue to be withheld until this shutdown ends.
Sincerely,
Raja Krishnamoorthi
Member of Congress