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The government shutdown continues while competing bills aimed at paying employees during the shutdown failed to garner enough votes to pass.
Senate Majority Leader Thune (R-SD) continues to hold unsuccessful votes on the Republican continuing resolution (H.R. 5371), which would extend funding for agencies and programs through Nov. 21, while blocking efforts to vote on the Democratic CR (S. 2882), which would extend current funding levels through Oct. 31, extend ACA/Obamacare tax credits and roll back Medicaid cuts to address pending increases in healthcare costs, prohibit the President from increasing, eliminating, or reducing funding for programs until enacted by Congress, restrict termination and furlough of employees, and prohibit the use of pocket rescissions and the fast-track procedures for partisan rescissions. The House remained out of session this week.
The Senate also considered legislation today that would pay federal employees during the shutdown. The Shutdown Fairness Act (S. 3012), introduced by Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI), would pay federal employees who are currently working during the shutdown (not those who are furloughed), certain contractors who support federal employees during a government shutdown, and members of the Armed Forces who are on active duty. Due to concerns that the bill would allow the President to pick and choose who gets paid, the bill failed to advance by a vote of 54-45. Sen.Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) asked unanimous consent (UC) to pass his bill, the True Shutdown Fairness Act (S. 3039), which would pay all federal employees – both those excepted and furloughed – as well as servicemembers and federal contractors during the current shutdown and would also prevent the administration’s attempts at mass firings while the government is shut down. Senator Johnson objected to the UC request. Sen.Gary Peters (D-MI) then asked unanimous consent to pass his bill, the Military and Federal Employee Protection Act (S. 3043), which would also pay all employees, both excepted and furloughed, members of the military and federal contractors, but only for the time period from Oct.1, to the date of enactment of the bill. Senator Johnson objected to that UC request as well.
Federal employees should not be used as pawns in a political debate. Urge your members of Congress to work together and reach a bipartisan agreement to reopen the federal government, pay all federal workers, and ensure agencies have the funding and resources they need to serve the American people.