With Congress almost certain to fail to pass a deficit reduction bill by tomorrow, the federal government is just hours away from sequestration, in which automatic spending cuts will hit numerous agencies. Hundreds of thousands of federal employees stand to experience furloughs, and the local economies of D.C., Virginia, and Maryland will feel severely the impact of reduced federal spending.
People who work for members of Congress will not be spared, either. In an interview with WUSA9, Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) said that congressional offices will see a five percent reduction in their budgets, meaning that some Capitol Hill workers could potentially be furloughed themselves. WUSA9, as noted last week, is pushing a petition calling on lawmakers to be included in the forced work stoppages.
Van Hollen told WUSA9 he is working to make sure that none of his staffers are furloughed, but they are all bracing to take a pay cut, though if anyone in his office has to take unpaid leave, he’s willing to join them:
“No…let me be clear. We’re working to try to make sure that nobody in our office gets furloughed. If I furlough other staff members, I’m happy to furlough myself as well. But I’m working hard to try to avoid that. So yes, I think within offices, members should be treated similar to how they are treating their staff, I think that’s an important principle,” answered Rep. Van Hollen.
Well, Van Hollen might be willing to furlough himself, but he can’t. And even if he skips work, he’ll still get paid his full salary. Even with hordes of federal employees days away from being made to take involuntary and unpaid leaves of absence, Van Hollen and his House colleagues and Senate counterparts are still entitled to their full salaries.
The 27th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution prohibits members of the House and Senate from altering their salaries during the current Congress. But that isn’t stopping Van Hollen or other members from pledging to take a pay cut under sequestration. Rep. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) told reporters in Chicago that she would take an 8.4 percent pay cut to match the reductions to the federal payroll if sequestration comes into effect. It’s a nice sentiment, but an unconstitutional one.
