As the government shutdown inches closer to the one-month mark, one Democratic Senator is coming under fire for continuing to accept her government salary—even as her office stepped in to correct her.

Join the community of Monthly Ministry Partners and help IFA provide prayer resources to other intercessors.

View Comments (1)

From the Daily Caller:

[Senator Tina] Smith told the Daily Caller News Foundation on Thursday that she would not forgo her paycheck because she continues to work in the Capitol during a lapse in government funding. She helped block legislation to pay some federal employees — including congressional staff and Capitol Police who are working unpaid — minutes later.

“I’m going to continue to take my paycheck,” Smith replied when asked about some of her Democratic colleagues choosing to defer their pay until the shutdown ends or donate it. “I continue to work and I think the solution here is to end the shutdown by getting the negotiations going so we can solve the problem.”

The DCNF asked Smith’s office for additional comment and a spokesperson replied that Smith may have been “confused by the question.” The spokesperson added that Smith’s office asked to defer her paycheck for the duration of the shutdown nearly two weeks ago.

As the Daily Caller notes, Senator Smith’s comments came shortly before a vote on legislation that would have paid essential government employees for the duration of the shutdown. As IFA reported yesterday, Democrat senators shut down the bill in a largely party-line vote.

As the shutdown continues, some Democratic lawmakers have elected to refuse their paychecks in a showing of solidarity with federal employees. Senators Richard Blumenthal, Mark Kelly, and Mark Warner all told the Caller they are not taking salaries, donating the money to charitable efforts instead. Meanwhile, Senators Ruben Gallego, Mazie Hirono, Dick Durbin, and Patty Murray all dodged the question, refusing to say whether they were currently taking salaries or not.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, who the Caller notes is deferring his paycheck, criticized Democrats for filibustering the bill to pay essential employees, saying on the Senate floor, “Twelve times now, Democrats have blocked just paying our federal employees.”

With no end to the shutdown in sight, let’s pray for provision for federal employees, and let’s pray that our lawmakers are able to work out a God-honoring solution!

How are you praying during the shutdown? Share your prayers and scriptures below.

(Excerpt from the Daily Caller. Photo Credit: Tina Smith’s Congressional Office)