OPM directs agencies to halt scheduled pay raises for Pence, top officials

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has reportedly directed federal agencies to halt pay raises scheduled to go into effect today for Vice President Pence, members of the president’s Cabinet and other top administration officials.

A reporter for The Washington Post tweeted Saturday that OPM made the decision Friday evening following news reports detailing the raises, which were unintended consequences of the weeks-long partial shutdown of the federal government that began last month.

Late breaking news from @USOPM following our story on pay raises for top Trump political appointees: Memo from acting director Margaret Weichert directs agencies to stand down on enacting the raises until Congress acts. Prudent action taken only after the raises were made public

— Lisa Rein (@Reinlwapo) January 4, 2019

OPM representatives did not immediately return a request for comment from The Hill on Saturday about the raises. Pence had previously directed that his own pay raise not go into effect on Friday.{mosads}

The Post originally reported this week that the raises were an unintended effect of the shutdown, a result of language implementing a freeze in pay for top officials in the executive branch lapsing when funding for the government expired.

White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told reporters earlier in the day that the administration was exploring options for preventing the raises from going into effect, while calling on Congress to reach a deal with the president.

“This is another unnecessary byproduct of the shutdown. The Administration is aware of the issue and we’re exploring options to prevent this from being implemented while some federal workers are furloughed. Congress can easily take care of this by funding the government and securing our borders,” she said.

Congressional staffers met with the vice president on Saturday for continuing negotiations regarding the shutdown, thought the meeting was characterized by President Trump as making minimal progress toward a deal to reopen the government.