Why pay Congress?

[Chris]

If we careen over a cliff on Friday and the American government shuts down, hard-working federal workers will stop getting paychecks, but the members of Congress responsible for the shutdown are expected to be paid as usual.

That’s partly because Congressional pay is not subject to the regular appropriations process, and partly because of Constitutional concerns. The Senate passed a bill proposed by Barbara Boxer of California that would suspend Congressional paychecks in any government shutdown, but the Republican-controlled House has blocked it. House Republicans approved a similar pay suspension, but it was embedded in legislation that has zero chance of becoming law.

The upshot is that federal workers who do important work for the public — cleaning up toxic waste, enrolling sick people into lifesaving medical trials, answering medical hot lines, running national parks, processing passport applications — risk being sent home and going unpaid. But members of Congress would continue to receive $174,000 a year. As the humorist Andy Borowitz wrote in a Twitter message: “That’s like eliminating the fire dept & sending checks to the arsonists.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/07/opinion/07kristof.html

 

[California Girl]

Hard working federal employees will still get paid. That's the police, fire, Air traffic management, our armed forces.

 

[VaYank5150]

Armed forces paychecks will be delayed.

 

[Valerie]

As tomorrow night’s deadline for avoiding a government shutdown nears, about 800,000 “non- essential” federal workers face the prospect of getting no pay at all for time lost to the political impasse.

Elected officials, including Republican House Speaker John Boehner, Democratic Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and President Barack Obama, all would be paid as usual during a shutdown, unless Congress changes the law. Soldiers, law enforcement officers and other government employees whose jobs are deemed essential would continue to work yet wouldn’t get paychecks until the budget standoff is resolved.

Workers furloughed as non-essential, however, aren’t guaranteed that they’ll be paid at all for time off when the government closes for business. While they’ve ultimately received back pay after previous shutdowns, it’s up to Congress to “determine whether ‘non-excepted’ employees receive pay for the furlough period,” according to a U.S. Office of Personnel Management website providing guidance and information on furloughs.

“It is unknown whether legislation will ultimately be passed” to make up lost pay, says a sample letter to non- essential employees prepared by the Committee on House Administration. “We wish that we could provide you with more guidance on this issue but, due to the fluid nature of the situation, we cannot.”

Boehner to Be Paid as Soldiers Wait If Government Closes - Businessweek

 

[Trajan]

I am not sure about that val....the senate passed a bill that would defer their pay, I think, think boehner has done same? If not he should.

 

[Valerie]

I am not sure about that val....the senate passed a bill that would defer their pay, I think, think boehner has done same? If not he should.

According that Bloomberg Business Week article written about half an hour ago, the situation has yet to change but the pressure is on!

“A shutdown could have real effects on everyday Americans,” Obama said late last night at the White House after a meeting where Boehner and Reid failed to reach an agreement.

“It means that hundreds of thousands of workers across the country suddenly are without a paycheck. Their families are counting on them being able to go to work and do a good job.”

The Senate has passed a measure to dock the pay of lawmakers for the duration of a shutdown. A House measure, part of the largely symbolic Prevention of Government Shutdown Act approved last week, would dock the pay of the president in addition to members of Congress. Neither proposal has taken effect.

Members of Congress “shouldn’t be getting paid, just like federal employees shouldn’t be getting paid” during a shutdown, Boehner said today on ABC’s “Good Morning America.”

Freshman Democratic Senator Joe Manchin, of West Virginia, said in a statement on his website that he would forgo his salary during a government shutdown and challenged colleagues to do the same thing.

Bottom Line

“The bottom line is this: I can’t imagine that the president, vice president or any member of Congress --Republican or Democrat -- thinks they should get paid when the government has shut down,” Manchin said.

Boehner to Be Paid as Soldiers Wait If Government Closes - Businessweek

 

[beowolfe]

Hard working federal employees will still get paid. That's the police, fire, Air traffic management, our armed forces.

Not if this last more than a payperiod.

 

[Valerie]

Hard working federal employees will still get paid. That's the police, fire, Air traffic management, our armed forces.

Not if this last more than a payperiod.

"Soldiers, law enforcement officers and other government employees whose jobs are deemed essential would continue to work yet wouldn’t get paychecks until the budget standoff is resolved."