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Monday, September 21, 2015

MIKULSKI, CARDIN, SENATE COLLEAGUES PUSH TO KEEP FEDERAL WORKERS ON THE JOB DESPITE THREATS OF SHUTDOWN

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Barbara A. Mikulski and Ben Cardin (both D-Md.), together with Democratic Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) andSenators Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Tom Carper (D-Del.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) and Mark Warner (D-Va.), have introduced legislation that would end Republican plans to use federal workers as pawns in their effort to shut down the federal government as a means to defund the important health care services provided by Planned Parenthood.

“Federal employees deserve a government on their side working as hard for them as they work each and every day for America,” said Senator Mikulski. “Federal employees have been undervalued and underappreciated for too long. Each and every day, federal employees stand up for America. They shouldn’t be penalized because of the shutdown, slamdown politics of Congress. That’s why I will continue to stand up for federal employees, fighting for the pay and benefits they’ve earned and deserve.”

“Our bill is the right thing to do and the fair thing to do. Federal workers are dedicated public servants who simply want to do their jobs on behalf of the American people. They shouldn’t suffer because of extreme partisan gamesmanship,” said Senator Cardin. “Our tasks here in Congress are simple – not easy, perhaps, but simple: we need to keep the government open for business across the country and keep federal workers on the job.”

S. 2035, the Federal Employee Fair Treatment Act of 2015, requires that all federal workers furloughed as a result of any lapse in appropriations that may begin as soon as October 1st will receive their pay retroactively as soon as is practicable. The legislation was placed directly on the Legislative Calendar under Rule XIV of the Standing Rules of the Senate. Portions of the federal government would need to cease operations should the Republican majority refuse to compromise with [Democrats and] the administration on a spending bill, or even a Continuing Resolution, before the start of the new fiscal year on October 1.

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7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Just fire half of them. It kills two birds with one stone!

Anonymous said...

Will they be paying them?
I didn't think so!

Anonymous said...

Federal Employee Fair Treatment Act? What about unborn infant protection from butchering and murder driven by financial greed?

May Tom Carper enjoy his retirement from political life.

Anonymous said...

I wish they would shut down and stay shut down

Anonymous said...

the parasites have overtaken the host

Anonymous said...

I say le them shut it down. when something's broken and doesn't work right that's what most people would do - turn it off. Other than the media, most people didn't notice the shutdown last time. The govt just showed it's stupidity by closing open air monuments(remember the closed tap blocking the entrance to the WWII memorial) that had no federal employees working at them. Critical ones will continue to work so we will remain "safe". One sad side effect is it will get John Boehner to cry on TV again and I am sick and tired of him.

Anonymous said...

A shutdown of the gov't should be 100%. No TSA, no Secret Service, no federal government employee working. Things in Congress would happen very quickly when they have no way to travel, no security, no one to make their phone calls, no one to bring them coffee, etc.