WASHINGTON — The largest union of federal workers publicly implored lawmakers Monday to approve a temporary funding bill to end the ongoing government shutdown, ramping up pressure on Democrats to abandon their healthcare demands.
“Both political parties have made their point, and still there is no clear end in sight,” American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) President Everett Kelley declared in a statement.
“It’s time to pass a clean continuing resolution and end this shutdown today. No half measures, and no gamesmanship.”
For more than a month, Republicans have insisted on funding the government at current levels through Nov. 21 to allow time to negotiate longer-term spending.
However, Senate Democrats have blocked the so-called “clean” short-term spending bill a dozen times, instead demanding that Republicans make expensive concessions on healthcare policy in exchange for reopening the government.
Only three Democrat or Democrat-aligned senators have backed the House-passed stopgap measure: John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada and independent Angus King of Maine. Republicans need five more Democrats to flip and get the legislation past the 60-vote legislative filibuster.
AFGE represents more than 800,000 federal workers, many of whom have gone without pay since the shutdown began Oct. 1.
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“These are patriotic Americans – parents, caregivers, and veterans – forced to work without pay while struggling to cover rent, groceries, gas and medicine because of political disagreements in Washington. That is unacceptable,” Kelley stressed.
“Unfortunately, shutdowns have become a recurring tactic in Washington. But there is no ‘winning’ a government shutdown.”
At least 1.4 million government workers missed their full paycheck last week. According to federal law, public sector employees will receive back pay when the shutdown concludes. However, Kelley warned that many of his members are not prepared to go extended periods without compensation.
“When the folks who serve this country are standing in line for food banks after missing a second paycheck because of this shutdown, they aren’t looking for partisan spin,” he said. “They’re looking for the wages they earned. The fact that they’re being cheated out of it is a national disgrace.”
Last week, Senate Democrats blocked a GOP-backed bill to keep checks flowing to most federal employees who are required to work during the shutdown, the second-longest in US history.
