Carter rejects paycheck for duration of shutdown

Texas Congressman John Carter has requested that his paycheck be withheld by the Chief Administrative Officer of the House for the duration of the shutdown. Carter today wrote House CAO Dan Strodel that he did not think it appropriate "for Members of Congress to receive compensation while our service men and women, and their families, who have already sacrificed so much, do not receive their well-deserved compensation," and requested his paychecks be withheld until the government shutdown is over.

Carter last week voted for H.R. 1255 which would have banned all Members of Congress and the President from being paid during the shutdown. The measure passed the House, but Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) blocked a vote on the bill in the Senate.

Carter is also lobbying for passage of the Ensuring Pay for our Military Act of 2011 by Congressmen Louie Gohmert (R-TX) and Jack Kingston (R-GA), which would continue pay for members of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard in the event of the expected shutdown at midnight.