Senators Urge Passage of Bill to Pay Military Personnel and Federal Employees During Government Shutdown

As the ongoing government shutdown leaves thousands of federal employees and military personnel without pay, senators are pushing for the passage of a bill that ensures timely compensation for these workers. The bill, introduced by Senators Lisa Blunt Rochester, Chris Coons, and Gary Peters, aims to provide furloughed employees and those who have been excepted from furlough status with their standard pay. The bill would also require that all employees receive any delayed compensation within one week of enactment.

Key Takeaways:

• The bill is cosponsored by 34 senators, including Senators Blunt Rochester, Coons, and Peters, who are advocating for their public servant constituents.
• The bill ensures that military personnel, federal employees, and federal contractors receive their standard pay, regardless of their furlough status.
• The bill requires that all employees receive any delayed compensation within one week of enactment to prevent financial hardship.
• The bill is supported by four major labor unions: the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), the National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE), the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE), and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT).
• Senators Blunt Rochester and Coons represent Delaware and are concerned about the impact of the shutdown on nearly 7,000 federal workers in their state.
• Senator Peters noted that the shutdown is not an accident, but rather a result of Republican intransigence on a bipartisan solution to address the healthcare crisis.

Statistics:

• The bill aims to support over 850,000 federal employees and military personnel who have been affected by the shutdown.
• Nearly 7,000 federal workers in Delaware will be impacted by the shutdown, according to Senators Blunt Rochester and Coons.
• The bill would provide timely compensation to employees who have been excepted from furlough status who are continuing to work during the shutdown.
• All employees would receive their delayed compensation within one week of enactment, according to the bill.

Sources:

• Senators Blunt Rochester, Coons, and Peters (2023). News Release: Senators Blunt Rochester, Coons, Colleagues Advocate for Passage of a Bill to Pay Military Personnel and All Federal Employees During Government Shutdown. Blunt Rochester.Senate.gov.
• American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE). (n.d.). AFGE Supports the Immediate Passage of the Pay Now Act to Avoid a Payday Crisis for Federal Workers During Shutdown. AFGE.org.
• National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE). (n.d.). NFFE Supports Pay Now Act to Prevent Delayed Pay for Furloughed Feds. NFFE-union.org.