AURORA | Like many federal workers who haven’t received pay because of the partial government shut down, Colorado Springs Congressman Doug Lamborn will eventually see a paycheck.
The Republican explained his vote to keep the government running on a Dec. 21 Facebook post, saying that the Senate “failed to act on that legislation.” He added that he would stand in solidarity with federal workers not receiving pay because of the partial shutdown.
“Now, hundreds of thousands of Americans will be without pay until Congress can resolve this issue,” Lamborn wrote. “That’s at least one reason why I will not be receiving my salary until a solution is finalized. I’ll continue fighting for what’s right and working to protect the American people.”
The partial shutdown began Dec. 22, and Lamborn hasn’t accept any pay since then, according to his spokeswoman Savannah Fraiser.
But he will, eventually. Fraiser said in an email to the Sentinel it’s law that all members of Congress be paid, “regardless of if they withheld their paychecks or not.
“It’s just withheld for Congressman Lamborn at this time because he is choosing to stand in solidarity with those affected by the shutdown.”
It’s unclear when Lamborn may see his pay returned, though.
President Donald Trump said Wednesday the partial government shutdown will last “as long as it takes” as closures entered a 12th day over his demands for billions of dollars from Congress to build a border wall with Mexico.
Now the administration is facing a lawsuit over the shutdown. A federal employees union alleged Monday that more than 400,000 federal employees are being illegally forced to work.
While federal workers can be kept on the job, they likely won’t be paid for days worked during the lapse in funding. In the past, however, they have been repaid retroactively even if they were ordered to stay home. The Senate already has passed legislation ensuring that workers will receive back pay. The House seems sure to follow suit.
But government contractors won’t get paid for the time they lose staying home, causing problems for those who rely on hourly wages.
Federal workers are exempted from furloughs if their jobs are national security-related or if they perform essential activities that “protect life and property.”
Roughly 420,000 workers were deemed essential and are working unpaid, unable to take any sick days or vacation, including about 40,000 law enforcement and corrections officers. The Homeland Security employees who will keep working include about 150,000 from the Coast Guard, TSA and Customs and Border Protection.
An additional 380,000 are staying home without pay. They include nearly all from NASA and Housing and Urban Development and about 40,000 from the Commerce Department. About 16,000 National Park Service employees — 80 percent of the agency’s workforce — are furloughed.
Also among those furloughed are 52,000 staffers at the Internal Revenue Service, slowing analysis and collection of hundreds of thousands of tax returns and audits.
The next government pay cycle ends Jan. 5.
— The Associated Press contributed to this report