WATCH: Hakeem Jeffries Refuses To Say Whether He Will Take A Paycheck During Shutdown

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) refused to answer when asked whether he would give up his paycheck so long as the Democrat-led government shutdown continues.

Instead of giving a direct answer, Jeffries deflected by stating that he did not believe the shutdown would last long enough to affect lawmakers’ paychecks. He further stated that individual lawmakers would have the ability to decide whether to take a paycheck while thousands of federal workers will have no choice but to lose theirs if the shutdown drags on.

When Jeffries was asked about his paycheck specifically, he told reporters that the question was “not even a right one.”

Government shutdowns affect all non-essential services, such as national parks, some regulatory agencies and more. Federal workers may also be furloughed depending on how long the shutdown continues. Essential services, such as military, air traffic control, social security and more will continue regardless of a government shutdown.

Jeffries and his Senate counterpart Chuck Schumer (D-NY) have repeatedly called on the administration to “compromise” by by extending Obama-era Affordable Care Act (ACA) tax cuts and guaranteeing taxpayer-funded healthcare “for all.”

Republican leaders, including Vice President JD Vance and House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), have pushed back by pointing to Biden-era programs that allowed non-citizens to receive healthcare benefits. “Yes, it is illegal for illegal aliens to receive health care paid for by hardworking American taxpayers. But [Democrats are] making the demand to change that. … That’s one of Chuck Schumer’s primary demands to keep the government open,” Johnson told CNN on September 28.

The shutdown is likely to extend into next week, as Democrats are for the fourth time expected to block a House-passed short term funding measure that will keep the government funded through late November. Senators Cortez Masto (D-NV), Fetterman (D-PA) and King (I-ME) joined all Republicans with the exception of Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) in voting for the temporary measure, though the rest of the Democratic Party caucus remains gridlocked.