Over 60 Lawmakers Press Administration to Reinstate Furloughed Federal Workers at Agencies Unaffected by Republican Shutdown

Strategic Insights -

More than 60 lawmakers in the Senate and House are urging the Trump Administration to immediately reinstate and resume pay for furloughed federal employees whose agencies are funded by collected user fees. The move is in response to the unprecedented directive by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to temporarily lay off and withhold pay from federal workers at fee-funded agencies during the ongoing government shutdown. The lawmakers, led by Senators Chris Van Hollen and Angela Alsobrooks, and Representatives Don Beyer and James Walkinshaw, argue that this move is unjustified and unnecessarily punitive, and that it has no legal or financial justification.

Key Takeaways:

  • Over 60 lawmakers, including Senators Chris Van Hollen and Angela Alsobrooks, and Representatives Don Beyer and James Walkinshaw, have signed a letter to OMB Director Russell Vought urging the Administration to reinstate furloughed federal employees and resume their paychecks.
  • The lawmakers argue that OMB's directive to temporarily lay off and withhold pay from federal workers at fee-funded agencies is unjustified and has no legal or financial justification.
  • The letter highlights specific examples of agencies whose employees are being furloughed or denied pay, including the Department of State's Bureau of Consular Affairs and the General Services Administration (GSA).
  • The lawmakers point out that these employees' wages are paid with fees collected for services such as visa and passport adjudication, and that there is no legal or financial reason to deny compensation to them.
  • The letter requests urgent answers to five questions, including the number of fee-funded GSA employees who have been furloughed, the anticipated impact on GSA operations, and the justification for furloughing GSA employees whose wages do not rely on congressional appropriations.
  • The lawmakers are joined on the letter by several senators and representatives, including Senator Richard Blumenthal, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, and Representative Jerry Nadler.

Statistics:

  • More than 60 lawmakers have signed the letter to OMB Director Russell Vought.
  • The Department of State's Bureau of Consular Affairs has reportedly furloughed employees, including those in Passport Services, despite being fee-funded.
  • Passport Services did not suffer any disruption to its operations or payroll during either of the government shutdowns during President Trump's first term.
  • The General Services Administration (GSA) has reportedly furloughed employees working in functions that do not rely on congressional appropriations, including the Acquisition Service Fund or carryover funds.
  • 64 fee-funded employees have been furloughed in GSA at the Bureau of Consular Affairs.

Sources:

  • https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=8672
  • News release from Rep. Don Beyer, D-Virginia
  • Letter to OMB Director Russell Vought, signed by over 60 lawmakers.