Congresswoman Julia Letlow won’t be paid during shutdown, per her request

BATON ROUGE, La. (KNOE) - Louisiana Congresswoman Julia Letlow will not be paid while the government is shut down, per her request.

The government shutdown went into effect on Oct. 1 after Congress couldn’t agree on a budget. While some federal workers aren’t paid during shutdowns, Congress members are.

In a letter to the Chief Administrative Officer of the Capitol dated Sept. 30, Letlow asked for her net pay to be withheld until a budget is passed.

“Members of Congress should not receive a paycheck during a shutdown -- especially when our troops are at risk of missing a paycheck,” Letlow said regarding the letter.

Letlow’s office confirmed her request not to be paid has been granted. This means Letlow will not receive payment as a member of Congress until a resolution is reached.

University of Louisiana Monroe political science professor, Dr. Joshua Stockley, said most people might not see a significant change in day-to-day life, but delays in federal services should be expected.

Around 750,000 federal workers nationwide are furloughed, including thousands in Louisiana.

While furloughed workers are still technically employees, they are required to take a temporary leave of absence without pay.

The last prolonged shutdown, in 2018-2019, furloughed more than 6,000 Louisiana federal workers and left many without pay for over a month. How long this one lasts will determine the severity of its impacts.