WASHINGTON — Representative Sean Patrick Maloney (NY-18) announced that he will not accept a paycheck if the government shuts down tonight at midnight. Last night, the House of Representatives passed its fourth short-term funding bill since late September, but if the Senate fails to pass the bill today, the government will run out of funding. In a letter to House Chief Administrative Officer Philip Kiko, Rep. Maloney asked that his paycheck be withheld if the government is shut down.

“I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – do your job or don’t get paid – that’s a rule everyone outside of Washington lives by, and it should apply to me and my colleagues as well,” said Rep. Maloney. “If Congress doesn’t pass a budget, they shouldn’t be paid. Simple as that.”

Rep. Maloney is a co-sponsor of the No Budget, No Pay Act, which would ensure our country avoids defaulting on our debt and would withhold congressional pay until a comprehensive budget is passed by Congress. Rep. Maloney is also a co-sponsor of the No Government No Pay Act, which mandates that, in the event of a Federal government shut down, Members of Congress would not be compensated until a budget has been passed and all government employees are back to work.

The full text of the letter is below and an original copy is available here.

Dear Mr. Kiko,

Although I remain hopeful that Congress will come to an agreement and pass a Continuing Resolution before tonight at midnight, a shutdown of the government remains possible. As a cosponsor of the No Budget, No Pay Act, I believe that members of Congress should be held to the same standards as the people I have the honor of representing in the Hudson Valley.

I write today to request that, in the event of a shutdown, my pay be withheld.