Washington, DC—Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-08) issued the following statement on the partial government shutdown—including his intention to abide by his No Budget, No Pay proposal and reject a salary until a spending agreement is reached:

“Government shutdowns are not an effective way to govern. They’re costly, unnecessary, and demonstrate a failure to lead from both parties. While I strongly believe that we must secure our border and fix our broken immigration system, Congress had plenty of opportunities to act and failed each time.  Earlier this year, I voted for a compromise bill that would have secured our borders and protected DACA recipients. Unfortunately, that measure failed to make it out of the House.

I have not, and will not, vote to shut down the government. It’s the basic duty of Congress to fund the federal government. Shutdowns disrupt government services, compromise national security, and cause uncertainty for federal employees. Critical funding for programs like the Violence Against Women Act lapse. Congress should follow the way the American people run their businesses and manage their families: lead by example to build consensus and solve problems in a dignified, honorable manner.

I will be leading by example. I will not accept any pay during any government shutdown. I am not delaying my pay; I am sending it back to the United States Treasury. And I am not only encouraging, but I am urging, all my colleagues, both Republican and Democrat, to do the same. Let’s send a message to the extreme partisans on both sides: do your job or don’t get paid.

As we await action from the Senate, I remain willing to work with both sides to find solutions and keep the government open.”

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