Washington's Republican Congress members forgo pay during shutdown

An estimated 800,000 federal workers are missing another paycheck.

“I’m curious, does that extend to Congress?” KUOW listener David Anderson asked our SoundQs team.

Members of Congress are still getting paid because appropriations for their pay are permanently mandated by law. (See page 21 here for more information on that.)

Still, some of them are making the political choice to reject or donate their salaries.

Washington state’s three Republican members of Congress are asking for their pay to be withheld until the government shutdown ends. That’s Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler (R-3rd District), Rep. Dan Newhouse (R- 4th District) and Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-5th District).

"If there are federal employees who are not being paid, she feels it’s incumbent on her not to get a paycheck," spokesperson for McMorris Rodgers said.

“Members of Congress should not be shielded from the effects of this shutdown,” Rep. Newhouse said in an emailed statement. “I have requested my pay be withheld until an appropriations agreement has taken effect.”

The nine Democratic members of Congress are not so in sync, with some making donations and many continuing to accept pay.

Rep. Suzan DelBene (D-1st District) is donating her entire salary to the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project, an immigration legal aid and advocacy organization.

“It’s my belief that if government workers aren’t being paid, then neither should members of Congress,” DelBene said in an emailed statement. “These workers protect our skies and our borders, keep our food safe to consume and issue tax refunds to hardworking Americans. Now they’re worried about keeping a roof over their heads and feeding their families. It’s simply not right.”

Four Washington Democratic members of Congress confirmed they’re keeping their salaries – including representatives Adam Smith (9th District), Rick Larsen (2nd District), and Derek Kilmer (6th District). Rep. Kim Schrier (8th District) is also keeping her salary while making donations to local food banks.

Four others didn’t respond to KUOW’s inquiry: Senators Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray, and representatives Pramila Jayapal (7th District) and Denny Heck (10th District).