Sen. Jon Husted, R-Ohio, told Newsmax on Thursday he is refusing to accept his salary during the partial government shutdown that is causing much pain to many Americans.
Appearing on Newsmax's "Wake Up America," Husted said he is taking a stand in contrast to Democrats who continue collecting paychecks while federal workers go without.
"Democrat senators continue to get paid. I'm not taking pay — I voluntarily am not taking pay," Husted said, emphasizing the financial strain faced by frontline workers such as Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents, Coast Guard members, and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) employees.
The shutdown, now approaching six weeks, has disrupted operations across the Department of Homeland Security and left thousands of workers without pay.
Reports say TSA agents are skipping meals and even sleeping in their cars as the standoff continues.
Husted blamed Senate Democrats, accusing them of repeatedly blocking funding measures passed by House Republicans.
"There was a bipartisan bill that came over from the House to fund DHS. Senate Democrats are blocking a vote on it. They blocked it seven times," he said.
According to Husted, the core issue is immigration enforcement.
He argued Democrats are refusing to fund Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), even rejecting compromise proposals that would fund other DHS components without ICE provisions.
"They don't want immigration laws enforced in this country," Husted said, adding that Democrats have been "completely unwilling to rationally, reasonably negotiate."
The Ohio senator stressed that Republicans are focused on restoring security and addressing the consequences of what he described as years of failed border policies under the Biden administration.
"We've got to clean it up," Husted said, pointing to crimes committed by illegal immigrants as part of the broader urgency to fully fund DHS operations.
With negotiations stalled and a two-week congressional recess looming, Husted said Republicans are exploring alternative legislative options, including reconciliation, to bypass Democrat resistance and restore funding.
"It is time for this to come to an end," he said.
Beyond the shutdown, Husted also addressed growing concerns over social media's impact on children, pointing to Wednesday's court ruling in California holding tech companies accountable for harmful content.
He highlighted his bipartisan proposal, "Sammy's Law," which would give parents more control over what their children see online and require platforms to ensure age-appropriate content.
"Parents should be in charge, not algorithms," Husted said.
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Charlie McCarthy ✉
Charlie McCarthy, a writer/editor at Newsmax, has nearly 40 years of experience covering news, sports, and politics.
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