U.S. Rep. Kevin Hern donating congressional salary during shutdown
Jan 5, 2019 09:36:50 #
Is this the only Congressman showing some integrity?
Hern spread that evenly among 10 veterans’ charities: Folds of Honor, Wounded Warrior Project, Blue Star Mothers of America–Broken Arrow, Blue Star Mothers of America–Tulsa, Blue Star Mothers of America–Bartlesville, Coffee Bunker, AMVETS, Green Country Veterans Association, Disabled American Veterans, Soldier’s Wish and the Military History Museum in Broken Arrow.
“I felt like the responsible thing to do, if I was going to receive those monies, was to donate them,” Hern said.
“I didn’t do this to call out anybody or embarrass anybody,” he said. “It was just what I thought I should do.”
Although members of Congress sometimes say they’re “refusing” their salaries, the U.S. Constitution specifies that all members must be paid, and that a sitting Congress — in this case, the 116th — cannot change its own pay.
Hern, during his brief time in Congress, has signed onto a constitutional amendment that would bar members from being paid during situations such as the current one.
New 1st District Congressman Kevin Hern said Thursday he’ll continue donating his pay to veterans groups as long as the current partial federal government shutdown remains unresolved.
“This is crazy,” Hern said by telephone. “Nobody runs a business this way.”
Thursday was the first day of the new 116th Congress, but because he filled a vacancy, Hern took office shortly after the Nov. 6 general e******n and thus served several weeks in the 115th Congress. Through Dec. 31, he’d earned about $5,000 in salary.
Congressional pay can be donated to the federal treasury or to charity, and Hern said he decided on veterans organizations because he considered them worthy.
Asked if he considered donating to unions or organizations representing the 800,000 federal workers going unpaid during the shutdown, Hern said those people will be provided for eventually.
“I would be the first to say that doesn’t help them right now, though,” he said.
Hern said he has “no idea” how long the stalemate will continue.
“Until somebody blinks, it’s going to continue,” he said.
https://www.tulsaworld.com/news/state-and-regional/u-s-rep-kevin-hern-donating-congressional-salary-during-shutdown/article_53a5ec93-66c1-5eb1-bb47-69c31c502262.html?fbclid=IwAR3D691FQ7Ae8A8JodWyplIBCRfYpz9dUm8oppaZNB334E2joIBXR9drZ2o
Hern spread that evenly among 10 veterans’ charities: Folds of Honor, Wounded Warrior Project, Blue Star Mothers of America–Broken Arrow, Blue Star Mothers of America–Tulsa, Blue Star Mothers of America–Bartlesville, Coffee Bunker, AMVETS, Green Country Veterans Association, Disabled American Veterans, Soldier’s Wish and the Military History Museum in Broken Arrow.
“I felt like the responsible thing to do, if I was going to receive those monies, was to donate them,” Hern said.
“I didn’t do this to call out anybody or embarrass anybody,” he said. “It was just what I thought I should do.”
Although members of Congress sometimes say they’re “refusing” their salaries, the U.S. Constitution specifies that all members must be paid, and that a sitting Congress — in this case, the 116th — cannot change its own pay.
Hern, during his brief time in Congress, has signed onto a constitutional amendment that would bar members from being paid during situations such as the current one.
New 1st District Congressman Kevin Hern said Thursday he’ll continue donating his pay to veterans groups as long as the current partial federal government shutdown remains unresolved.
“This is crazy,” Hern said by telephone. “Nobody runs a business this way.”
Thursday was the first day of the new 116th Congress, but because he filled a vacancy, Hern took office shortly after the Nov. 6 general e******n and thus served several weeks in the 115th Congress. Through Dec. 31, he’d earned about $5,000 in salary.
Congressional pay can be donated to the federal treasury or to charity, and Hern said he decided on veterans organizations because he considered them worthy.
Asked if he considered donating to unions or organizations representing the 800,000 federal workers going unpaid during the shutdown, Hern said those people will be provided for eventually.
“I would be the first to say that doesn’t help them right now, though,” he said.
Hern said he has “no idea” how long the stalemate will continue.
“Until somebody blinks, it’s going to continue,” he said.
https://www.tulsaworld.com/news/state-and-regional/u-s-rep-kevin-hern-donating-congressional-salary-during-shutdown/article_53a5ec93-66c1-5eb1-bb47-69c31c502262.html?fbclid=IwAR3D691FQ7Ae8A8JodWyplIBCRfYpz9dUm8oppaZNB334E2joIBXR9drZ2o
Jan 5, 2019 09:41:36 #
Rose42 wrote:
Is this the only Congressman showing some integrit... (show quote)
I don’t think any of them should be paid, or making it retroactive to the shut down date!!
I also think none of them should be allowed to leave until the issues are settled!!
I also don’t think the increases the house awarded themselves which take place now should be paid period!!
Over paid bureaucratic incompetents they are!!
Jan 5, 2019 09:47:05 #
lindajoy wrote:
I don’t think any of them should be paid, or making it retroactive to the shut down date!!
I also think none of them should be allowed to leave until the issues are settled!!
I also don’t think the increases the house awarded themselves which take place now should be paid period!!
Over paid bureaucratic incompetents they are!!
I also think none of them should be allowed to leave until the issues are settled!!
I also don’t think the increases the house awarded themselves which take place now should be paid period!!
Over paid bureaucratic incompetents they are!!
Amen and Amen I am with you all the way there lindajoy you are spot on.
Jan 5, 2019 09:47:36 #
Rose42 wrote:
Did you know that Pence and many on the Pumpkinfuhrers staff got a $10,000.00 pay raise on the first of the year while the secret service agents protecting him go without pay. What a schmuck.Is this the only Congressman showing some integrit... (show quote)
Jan 5, 2019 10:03:57 #
lindajoy wrote:
I don’t think any of them should be paid, or making it retroactive to the shut down date!!
I also think none of them should be allowed to leave until the issues are settled!!
I also don’t think the increases the house awarded themselves which take place now should be paid period!!
Over paid bureaucratic incompetents they are!!
I also think none of them should be allowed to leave until the issues are settled!!
I also don’t think the increases the house awarded themselves which take place now should be paid period!!
Over paid bureaucratic incompetents they are!!
Jan 5, 2019 10:06:35 #
Kevyn wrote:
Did you know that Pence and many on the Pumpkinfuhrers staff got a $10,000.00 pay raise on the first of the year while the secret service agents protecting him go without pay. What a schmuck.
We're the schmucks for allowing politicians to be corrupt and not demanding better. It speaks volumes the democrats also do nothing about it.
Jan 5, 2019 10:13:38 #
slatten49
Loc: Lake Whitney, Texas
"Is this the only Congressman showing some integrity?"...Rose42
https://www1.cbn.com/cbnnews/politics/2018/january/no-work-no-pay-some-members-of-congress-forego-paychecks-during-shutdown
Excerpt from above...."According to the Washington Post, nearly 250 members of Congress didn’t accept pay during the 2013 shutdown."
https://www1.cbn.com/cbnnews/politics/2018/january/no-work-no-pay-some-members-of-congress-forego-paychecks-during-shutdown
Excerpt from above...."According to the Washington Post, nearly 250 members of Congress didn’t accept pay during the 2013 shutdown."
Jan 5, 2019 10:17:41 #
slatten49 wrote:
https://www1.cbn.com/cbnnews/politics/2018/january/no-work-no-pay-some-members-of-congress-forego-paychecks-during-shutdown
Excerpt from above...."According to the Washington Post, nearly 250 members of Congress didn’t accept pay during the 2013 shutdown."
Excerpt from above...."According to the Washington Post, nearly 250 members of Congress didn’t accept pay during the 2013 shutdown."
We went from nearly 250 to several. Sad.
IMO all Senators and Congressmen should be fined in addition to forfeiting pay and that fine should increase the longer a shutdown goes on.
Jan 5, 2019 10:19:48 #
slatten49
Loc: Lake Whitney, Texas
Rose42 wrote:
We went from nearly 250 to several. Sad.
Yes, but we can/should hope others join in.
Jan 5, 2019 10:21:08 #
Jan 5, 2019 10:22:07 #
lindajoy wrote:
I don’t think any of them should be paid, or making it retroactive to the shut down date!!
I also think none of them should be allowed to leave until the issues are settled!!
I also don’t think the increases the house awarded themselves which take place now should be paid period!!
Over paid bureaucratic incompetents they are!!
I also think none of them should be allowed to leave until the issues are settled!!
I also don’t think the increases the house awarded themselves which take place now should be paid period!!
Over paid bureaucratic incompetents they are!!
When you say you don't think any of them should be paid do you mean Congress, or any government employee? If the former, I agree!
Jan 5, 2019 10:32:31 #
Kevyn wrote:
Did you know that Pence and many on the Pumpkinfuhrers staff got a $10,000.00 pay raise on the first of the year while the secret service agents protecting him go without pay. What a schmuck.
No. You've got it reversed. He signed an executive order for a pay raise for military personnel. He also specified a pay raise freeze for all members of the cabinet , himself and Pence, and other high-ranking political appointees in light of the partial government shutdown. The $10,000 pay raise for congress, the cabinet, all other high level appointees, Pence and himself; was scheduled to go into effect on Saturday at the request of Congress. He stopped it.
Jan 5, 2019 10:50:57 #
Kevyn wrote:
Did you know that Pence and many on the Pumpkinfuhrers staff got a $10,000.00 pay raise on the first of the year while the secret service agents protecting him go without pay. What a schmuck.
SAD & SICK
Jan 5, 2019 12:17:32 #
JoyV wrote:
No. You've got it reversed. He signed an executive order for a pay raise for military personnel. He also specified a pay raise freeze for all members of the cabinet , himself and Pence, and other high-ranking political appointees in light of the partial government shutdown. The $10,000 pay raise for congress, the cabinet, all other high level appointees, Pence and himself; was scheduled to go into effect on Saturday at the request of Congress. He stopped it.
Not to mention that Trump donates all his salary to various departments of our government. Each quarter he donates to another department. So any pay raise would just get plowed back in anyway.
Jan 5, 2019 16:15:56 #
bahmer wrote:
Amen and Amen I am with you all the way there lindajoy you are spot on.
Thank You my friend... How was your intruduction to 2019, the year for all good ???
Mine was brought in quietly in the company of wonderful family and friends...
We toasted 2019 for all that is to come and gave Thanks for our lessons of 2018 that gave us more room to grow...
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