Party line vote saves poor Sean Duffy's paycheck from Walz amendment cutting off pay during government shutdown

Thursday, Bluestem reported that charitable Wisconsin Democrats are conducting a food and clothing drive today for U.S. Representative Sean Duffy, who is having a hard time making ends meet on his $174,000 a year congressional salary.

There was potentially more bad news for Duffy when Congressman Walz proposed an amendment to withhold congressional and presidential paychecks during a government shut-down.

Just in from the Walz congressional office:

Today, Rep. Tim Walz offered an amendment on the floor to prevent Members of Congress or the President from taking a paycheck if the government shuts down.

“Where I come from, nobody gets paid for a job they didn’t do,” said Walz. “The American people send us here to work together and solve the country’s problems and if we can’t do that, I don’t think we should be taking home a paycheck.”

The amendment Walz offered was passed by the Senate unanimously earlier this month.

If the government shuts down, millions of Americans would be harmed. Social security checks could be delayed as well as veterans’ benefits. Soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan would not be paid while they are risking their lives in service to our country.

In light of the damage a shutdown could cause, Congressman Walz expressed his dismay that some of his colleagues would consider taking a paycheck for days they didn’t work.

Walz's prepared remarks are below the fold. The amendment failed to pass in a vote along party lines and Sean Duffy is saved.

Prepared remarks for floor statement:

I’m proud to represent the 1st District of Minnesota. And as I travel around southern Minnesota, the folks I have the privilege to meet are genuine, hard working people just trying to do right by their family and neighbors.

And out in the heartland, nobody gets paid for a job they didn’t do.

Mr. Speaker, that’s exactly what my amendment would do today.

My amendment would make sure that if the government shuts down Members of Congress and the President would not get paid.

The American people sent us here to work together and solve the country’s problems.

And no matter how contentious things can get around here, we should always be able to come together to find reasonable, common sense solutions.

I understand my Republican colleagues are having some trouble getting agreement from their own members on a budget. I know that Speaker Boehner has to figure out whether to side with some of his more reasonable, moderate members or the far right wing.

But in the meantime, however any of us feel about the current budget debate, we all should be able to agree that paying Congress and the President for a job they didn’t do is just plain wrong.

I believe allowing the government to shutdown would be harmful to the American people and it would be a failure to do the job we were sent here to do. Simple as that.

I wonder if my friends on the other side of the aisle - who are calling for a shut down - realize that if that happens, checks to seniors could be delayed, benefits to veterans could be slowed down. Our military service chiefs tell us a shutdown hurts our national security and affects our readiness. And our soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan would not get paid while they are risking their lives for our country. Federal workers wouldn’t be paid, our own staff members wouldn’t be paid.

All that is bad enough by itself. But I’m not sure how you could look folks back home in the eye and tell you failed to do your job, but pocketed the pay anyway.

We should have an up or down vote on this. There is no need to delay and no need  to include it in a larger, more complicated package. This is simple. Members of Congress and the President shouldn’t get special treatment.

I will do everything in my power to prevent a government shutdown, but Americans deserve to know if this body cannot keep the government functioning, we won’t be taking home a paycheck.

The language already in this bill isn’t good enough. It doesn’t allow for immediate passage of this simple provision and it doesn’t prevent Members of Congress from retroactively paying themselves.

There is absolutely no reason for my Republican colleagues to oppose this amendment.

Let's be clear. The passage of this amendment will not prevent the passage of the underlying bill. If the amendment is adopted, it will be incorporated into the bill, and the bill will be immediately voted upon.

Time is running out. We have one week until the next CR expires. This amendment already passed the Senate unanimously. A vote for my amendment today is a vote for the Senate bill.

So, though we may disagree on the underlying bill, today we have the opportunity stand up for basic fairness and a core American value. That Members of Congress and the President shouldn’t be treated any differently from the constituents we are so honored to serve.

If my colleagues truly agree we shouldn’t get paid during a government shutdown, they’ll vote yes on this amendment. I urge everyone to vote ``yes'' on this final amendment. We can make this amendment the law of the land.

Comments

[Phoenix Woman]

By the way, speaking of Republican congresscritters, this time of the Wisconsin State House kind:

http://news.firedoglake.com/2011/04/01/dem-party-of-wisconsin-expect-at-least-six-recall-elections/

Wow! I knew they'd get Kapanke and Hopper and maybe Darling, but it sounds like they're going to take out at least six of the egregious eight, with the only likely survivors being Glenn Grothman and Mary Lazich.