With over 100,000 employees from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) not receiving pay due to a partial government shutdown, most members of New York’s congressional delegation have not disclosed whether they have cashed their paychecks.
Only two offices responded to inquiries about whether their representatives are accepting their salaries while Coast Guard agents, TSA inspectors, and other DHS staff await back pay.
Rep. Pat Ryan’s (D-N.Y.) office stated that its members will not take payment during the shutdown. A spokesperson noted, “Mr. Pat’s policy is not to receive a paycheck while the government is shut down.”
Rep. Laura Gillen (D-N.Y.) agreed with this approach but did not clarify her stance on accepting her $174,000 salary. She mentioned that both the White House and Congress need to work together to negotiate a viable solution, also emphasizing her efforts to push forward the Pay Our Troops Act. This act aims to mitigate the shutdown’s effects on federal workers, including TSA and FEMA personnel.
Meanwhile, the other 26 members of New York’s delegation, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and all seven Republican House members, did not respond to comments.
Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) expressed frustration, asking, “Why do Chuck Schumer and the Democrats prioritize their paychecks over the Coast Guard and TSA workers who ensure public safety daily?”
Scott, who has chosen to forfeit his salary during his Senate term, is advocating for legislation to stop lawmakers from being paid until budget resolutions and appropriations bills are approved. He stated, “My No Budget, No Payroll Act mandates that when Congress fails at its primary responsibilities, members should face the same consequences as other workers.”
In a similar vein, Sen. Bernie Moreno’s (R-Ohio) Government Shutdown Act suggests imposing daily fines on Congress members during a shutdown. He remarked, “Democrats like Hakeem Jeffries want to shut down the government and still receive pay. That’s absurd. We shouldn’t earn a paycheck if we can’t do the essentials.”
Moreno’s office didn’t clarify if he would accept a paycheck during the DHS closure.
Some prominent New York politicians who have not responded include Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.), and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.).
On Tuesday, Sen. Jon Husted (R-Ohio) formally requested the Senate Treasury Clerk to withhold pay until the government reopens. “I cannot, in good conscience, accept a paycheck while TSA, FEMA, and Coast Guard employees may miss their payments,” he stated. “We will hold your pay until we can pass legislation to reopen the government.”
The current federal funding debacle, which kicked off on Valentine’s Day, marks the third DHS shutdown this fiscal year.
Approximately 120,000 DHS employees are working without pay, and ongoing disagreements between Democrats and the White House regarding funding solutions persist. Reports indicate that around 140,000 DHS employees, covering immigration and enforcement roles funded by last year’s major funding legislation, continue to receive their paychecks.
Democratic leaders are pushing for stricter guidelines for ICE workers, who are still paid during the shutdown, as a necessary condition for funding DHS.
