Texas lawmakers defer federal paychecks until shutdown ends
U.S. Reps. Kay Granger and Ron Wright don’t want to receive paychecks until the government is completely up and running again.
Granger, R-Fort Worth, sent a letter dated Jan. 3 to the chief administrative officer noting that she just learned members of Congress would continue to be paid through the partial shutdown.
“Until Congress reaches a deal to fund the government, I have requested my pay be withheld until the government is fully operational,” she wrote in the letter shared on Facebook and Twitter Wednesday.
Wright, R-Arlington, said he, too, is deferring his paycheck.
“I fully support the president’s insistence on funding for border security that includes the steel barrier or wall,” he said. “Americans have suffered enough because of our porous border.
“This is a national security issue and the safety and security of the American people have got to come first,” he said. “I understand the difficulty that Democratic intransigence is causing many federal workers, therefore, I will defer my own pay.”
Members of the U.S. House each earn $174,000 a year.
This partial government shutdown, which began Dec. 22 and impacts nine federal departments, means that 800,000 impacted federal employees are either furloughed or working without pay. Once a deal is reached, those now working without pay will be paid retroactively.
Other Texas lawmakers including Republican U.S. Reps. Will Hurd, Pete Olson and Van Taylor have asked for their paychecks to be withheld during the shutdown.
The Star-Telegram reached out to other Tarrant County area members in Congress late Wednesday to see if anyone else was deferring their paychecks. No one else immediately responded.
Friday is the first day federal workers impacted by the shutdown will miss a pay check.
Impacted federal workers are holding rallies across the country, calling on President Trump and Congress to end the shutdown and restore their salaries.
One woman who works as a paralegal with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission told the Star-Telegram she is worried about her finances.
“There is no end in sight and we’ve had to borrow money to ensure our bills and mortgage are covered,” the woman, who didn’t want to be identified because of the sensitivity of the issue, wrote in an email. “If it goes on past the next paycheck, I’ll be forced to file for unemployment benefits.
“Beyond financial concerns, I care about my work, our agency, and its mission,” she wrote. “The longer this continues, the more investor harm that could continue or occur. Further, many of my coworkers are disheartened by this shutdown. It’s a morale killer, especially after the announcement of a pay freeze was made a few days ago. Certainly feels like adding insult to injury.”
What’s impacted?
The National Archives at Fort Worth: A message on the voice mail for the archives says, “unfortunately we are closed to normal operations due to a lack of appropriations.”
The George W. Bush Presidential Library: A note online states that the museum will remain open during the government shutdown. The library and research room, among the facilities run by the National Archives and Records Administration, will be closed, as are other presidential libraries in Texas.
IRS offices: Phones are not being answered at the Fort Worth Internal Revenue Service office. Anyone who calls to make an appointment hears a message noting that “live telephone assistance is not available at this time” and that “normal operations will return as soon as possible.” Many are concerned that if the government shutdown continues much longer then those seeking income tax refunds at least in January may see delays.
Editor’s note: If you are being impacted by the ongoing partial federal shutdown, contact reporter Anna M. Tinsley at atinsley@star-telegram.com to share your story.
This story was originally published January 9, 2019 at 4:36 PM with the headline "Texas lawmakers defer federal paychecks until shutdown ends."
