US Senator Calls on White House to Pay Coast Guard Members for Pre-Shutdown Work

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The White House must immediately fix the current payment system that has prevented more than 40,000 members of the Coast Guard from getting paid for work performed before the government shutdown, Senator Susan Collins said in a press release.

Coast Guard officials earlier this week said tens of thousands of service members will not get paid for work performed before a US federal government shutdown went into effect on Saturday.

"Most federal employees will receive their scheduled paychecks today, but that is not the case for 42,000 Coast Guard members, who will not be paid for pre-shutdown work because they are under a different pay system," Collins said on Friday. "This is not fair. I called the White House to urge an immediate fix."

READ MORE: Pelosi Reportedly Goes to Hawaii Resort During Shutdown, Trump Stays in DC

Friday was the seventh day of a US government shutdown over US President Donald Trump’s demand that $5 billion in next year’s budget be allocated to build a wall on the southern border. Lawmakers adjourned on Thursday saying the shutdown is likely to continue into 2019.