WASHINGTON \u2013 During the recent 43-day federal government shutdown, many members of Congress \u2014 including several from Central Florida \u2014 suggested it was unfair that they continued to get paid while hundreds of thousands of federal workers either worked without pay or were furloughed.<\/p>\n
Under the U.S. Constitution, \u201cSenators and Representatives shall receive a Compensation for their Services,\u201d which meant lawmakers\u2019 paychecks kept coming even as large parts of the federal government were closed.<\/p>\n
Most U.S. senators and representatives earn $174,000 a year, which works out to roughly $20,500 over the course of the shutdown.<\/p>\n
[VIDEO BELOW: Mike DeForest\u2019s full report]<\/p>\n
News 6 asked Central Florida\u2019s congressional delegation what they did with that money.<\/p>\n
Republican U.S. Sen. Ashley Moody said she donated her shutdown salary to the Crisis Center of Tampa.<\/p>\n
Republican U.S. Sen. Rick Scott has always donated his entire government salary to charity, including during his time as Florida\u2019s governor. Scott donated a portion of his salary in August to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, according to his office.<\/p>\n
[WATCH BELOW: Trump signs government funding bill, ending shutdown]<\/p>\n
\u201cThroughout my time in office, Ann and I have been blessed to give my Senate salary to incredible organizations in Florida and across the nation that are serving their communities and making a difference,\u201d Scott said in a statement.<\/p>\n
Republican U.S. Rep. Daniel Webster kept his government salary during the shutdown. However, his office said that, as he does every year, Webster plans to deliver a check to the Bureau of Fiscal Service to voluntarily roll back his salary to 2008 levels. That amounts to a refund of about $4,700.<\/p>\n
Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Haridopolos\u2019s office said he \u201creached out to House administration and requested that his pay be paused until the shutdown was complete.\u201d Haridopolos later received back pay after the government reopened.<\/p>\n
Republican U.S. Rep. Kat Cammack posted a message on social media during the shutdown saying, \u201cevery single member of Congress should be withholding their pay.\u201d However, her office did not respond to questions from News 6 about whether she ultimately accepted back pay.<\/p>\n
Democratic U.S. Rep. Maxwell Frost kept his pay during the shutdown.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Congressman is not independently wealthy, nor does he buy or trade stocks like many members of Congress do,\u201d Frost\u2019s office said in a statement, adding that members who did reject their congressional pay \u201care simply virtue signaling.\u201d<\/p>\n
Democratic U.S. Rep. Darren Soto and Republicans Cory Mills and Randy Fine did not respond to questions from News 6 about whether they delayed their paychecks during the shutdown or donated them to charity.<\/p>\n
Fine has co-sponsored a bill that will automatically withhold lawmakers\u2019 pay in the future if Congress fails to pass a budget. That proposal has not been approved.<\/p>\n
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