CSPAN - Washington Journal Rep. Pat Harrigan R-NC
Aired: 2025-10-30
Duration: 01:58


=== Congressional Pay During Shutdown (01:57) ===

[00:00:00]  It's toll-felt and we need to do better.
[00:00:02]  We have to go forward and get this economy back on a strong stretch and also provide for those issues and concepts that really feed the everyday needs of America's families.
[00:00:15]  Congressman, we've also heard from a couple of viewers today saying that members of Congress should be fined while there is a government shutdown.
[00:00:21]  And another caller said members of Congress should not be receiving pay.
[00:00:25]  How do you respond?
[00:00:26]  Well, you know, in responding to that, I have ordered the desk at the House to hold my check until this process is done.
[00:00:37]  If we're not paying our federal employees, I should follow suit.
[00:00:41]  Paul Tonko, Democrat of New York.
[00:00:43]  Thank you, sir, for your time from Capitol Hill.
[00:00:45]  My pleasure, Greta.
[00:00:47]  More of your calls coming up here in open forum, but first, let's go back up to Capitol Hill.
[00:00:51]  Congressman Pat Harrigan, Republican of North Carolina, member of the Armed Services Committee representing the 10th District, joining us this morning.
[00:00:59]  Sir, thank you for your time.
[00:01:01]  Let's talk about the government shutdown.
[00:01:03]  We're in day 30 here, sir.
[00:01:05]  What are you hearing from your constituents about both their health care costs?
[00:01:10]  What are they seeing?
[00:01:12]  And food stamps.
[00:01:14]  Yeah, look, this shutdown has caused real harm to real people.
[00:01:18]  And I think that there's been a ton of finger pointing over who's responsible for the shutdown.
[00:01:23]  Clearly, we understand that Democrats are responsible for the shutdown, but really it's not about who's responsible.
[00:01:29]  The reality is that the only thing that's assured during a shutdown is that the American people lose.
[00:01:34]  We've got real policy debates that need to happen.
[00:01:36]  I think everybody understands that health care is unaffordable in our country.
[00:01:40]  The Affordable Care Act is anything but affordable.
[00:01:43]  The presence and necessity of subsidies from the Democratic side, I think, admits that by fact, by default.
[00:01:52]  And so we've got work to do, but we've got to do that work while the government is open.
[00:01:56]  Otherwise, our troops aren't getting paid.