Rep. Carbajal Withholds Own Pay as Thousands of Federal Workers Miss Paycheck
Washington,
January 11, 2019
Today, as thousands of federal workers did not receive paychecks due to the government shutdown, Congressman Carbajal requested the Chief Administrative Officer of the House withhold his pay until the government is fully reopened. “I’m standing in solidary with federal workers on the Central Coast and across the country who are struggling to pay their bills this month and whose families are hurting due to this irresponsible shutdown. If they’re not getting paid, neither am I,” said Carbajal. “The President is recklessly holding paychecks for our public servants hostage over his ineffective wall, even as attempted border crossings have decreased 80% since 2000 and border patrol agents repeatedly request enhanced technology and facilities to accommodate the increase in children and families being detained. “House Democrats passed legislation this week that the Republican-controlled Senate approved in December to reopen the government. Leader McConnell and President Trump have the power to reopen this government today. I urge them to use that power immediately and put people over political agendas.” Roughly 800,000 federal workers across the country under the Agriculture, Commerce, Homeland Security, Housing and Urban Development, Interior, Justice, State, Transportation, and Treasury Departments are impacted by the government shutdown. TSA agents are quitting, food inspections have been put on hold, our national parks are being damaged, and federal wildland firefighters are delaying trainings and prescribed burns. Carbajal has co-sponsored H.R. 67 the Federal Employee Retroactive Pay Fairness Act, legislation to guarantee back pay to furloughed workers in the event of a government shutdown. During past government shutdowns and furloughs both in Santa Barbara County government and in Congress, Carbajal has similarly forgone pay. ### |
