Congressman Lawler Urges Responsibility As Shutdown Looms, Declines Salary

Washington, D.C.- 9/30/25… Today, Congressman Mike Lawler (NY-17) sent a letter to the House Chief Administrative Office requesting that his congressional salary be withheld in the event of a government shutdown. In his letter, the lawmaker wrote:

"In the event of a government shutdown, I am requesting that my salary be withheld until the shutdown is over.

If our partners in the Senate are incapable of finding their senses and passing a clean Continuing Resolution, as they did on thirteen separate occasions while Joe Biden was President, then no member of the House or Senate should receive a salary.

We were not sent here to play partisan politics - we were sent here to work on behalf of the American people and keep the lights on.

A shutdown doesn't benefit anyone. It hurts families, workers, our brave men and women in the military, our economy, and much, much more.

I sincerely hope my colleagues on the other side of the aisle come to the same conclusion as I have, time and again - vote to keep the government open and hash out our differences in the appropriations process, and, where applicable, at the ballot box."

Congressman Lawler is one of the most bipartisan members of Congress and represents New York's 17th Congressional District, which is just north of New York City and contains all or parts of Rockland, Putnam, Dutchess, and Westchester Counties. He was rated the most effective freshman lawmaker in the 118th Congress, 8th overall, surpassing dozens of committee chairs.

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The full letter can be found HERE.