<html><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body dir="auto"><div dir="ltr"><span></span></div><div dir="ltr"><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8">. . . that members of the U.S. Congress receive full pay . . . even when the government is shut down.</div><div dir="ltr"><br></div><div dir="ltr"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“According to <a data-track-label="inline|intext|n/a" href="https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/constitution-transcript" style="text-decoration: none;">the Constitution</a>, Congress is required to set its own salaries to be paid by the Treasury. Those salaries are outlined in a separate law from the appropriations legislation. So, even though the shutdown is caused by the failure to cut a deal on the unfunded appropriations, Congress continues to be paid under an entirely different bill.”</span></div><div dir="ltr"><a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2018/12/27/government-shutdown-congressional-presidential-pay/2421657002/">https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2018/12/27/government-shutdown-congressional-presidential-pay/2421657002/</a></div><div dir="ltr"><br></div><div dir="ltr">Yet, if you were to visit Capitol Hill, all you would hear are crickets.</div><div dir="ltr"><br></div><div dir="ltr">So, while members of our congress are taking an extended, paid ($180,000/year) vacation . . . 800,000 government employees (many struggling month to month) are going without pay.</div><div dir="ltr"><br></div><div dir="ltr">Happy New Year, V-Peeps!</div><div dir="ltr"><br><div dir="ltr"><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Seeya 'round town, Moscow, because . . .</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">"Moscow Cares" (the most fun you can have with your pants on)</span></div><div><a href="http://www.moscowcares.com/" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000">http://www.MoscowCares.com</font></a></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span></div><div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Tom Hansen</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Moscow, Idaho</span></div></div><div><br></div></div></div></body></html>