In a move of solidarity, four Louisiana congressmen made the decision to delay their paychecks while federal workers go without pay during the current partial government shutdown.
According to KALB the four representatives to refuse their paychecks for the time being are District 4 Congressman Mike Johnson of Bossier Parish, District 3 Congressman Clay Higgins of Port Barre, District 6 Congressman Garret Graves of Baton Rouge, and District 5 Congressman Ralph Abraham of Richland Parish.
The television news station reported “normally, the congressmen’s paychecks would not be affected, however, they each sent letters requesting that their pay be withheld until the shutdown is over.”
Along with delaying their pay, Congressman Johnson said, “Today (Friday, January 11, 2019) in the House of Representatives we passed a measure to ensure the dedicated federal employees who continue to show up to work without compensation will receive their pay as soon as possible.”
The partial federal government shutdown, which began on Saturday, December 29, 2018, has shown little signs of coming to an end as Republicans and Democrats seem to find it impossible to meet in the middle when it comes to funding a wall at the border of the United States and Mexico.
Washington Democrats, who have the majority in congress at this time, have approved $1.3 billion for border security while the president has requested $5.7 billion according to Washington Post columnist Marc A. Thiessen.
The dispute has now led to three weeks of federal employees going without pay, while many continue to show up to work. This is the same thing, Congressman Johnson said he and several of his colleagues will do as well.
Congressman Johnson said, “Many of my colleagues and I have agreed to continue working on that same basis until a solution is reached to both reopen the federal government and ensure America’s border security.”
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ELIZABETH WEST Managing Editor