In the new minority: Rep. Lee Zeldin’s first day of his third term in Congress

Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-Shirley) was sworn in to a third term in the U.S. House of Representatives yesterday by Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi.

For the first time since taking office in 2015, Zeldin is a member of the minority caucus, after Democrats took control of the House, 235-199 in the 2018 midterm elections.

On the first day of the 116th Congress, Zeldin voted with the Republican caucus on all 10 measures taken up by the House for roll call votes yesterday, including a controversial appropriations measure to fund the federal government.

The bill passed by the House yesterday (241-190) does not include funding for a southern border wall and President Donald Trump has said he would veto the measure if it is presented to him. It is unlikely the bill will make it to the president’s desk, however, as Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has said he will not bring the bill to the floor for a vote. 

Zeldin voted in favor of a House continuing appropriations bill on Dec. 20 that included $5.7 billion for physical border barriers, as well as $7.8 billion in disaster relief and called on the Senate to follow suit.

“It should be a bipartisan success to secure our nation’s borders, aid Americans affected by natural disasters and provide certainty and consistency in funding our federal government,” Zeldin said in a press release Dec. 20.

But the bill passed by the Senate last month did not include funding for a southern border wall.  Lack of agreement by the two chambers led to the partial government shutdown now in its 14th day. 

The NY-01 congressman has instructed the chief administrative officer of the House to withhold his pay until the partial government shutdown ends.

“It’s crazy to me that members of Congress get paid while other federal employees do not,” Zeldin said.

Zeldin is a member of the House Financial Services and Foreign Affairs committees.