Booker, Peters, Colleagues Introduce Bill to Pay Military Personnel and All Federal Employees During Government Shutdown

WASHINGTON, DC - Today, U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) joined a group of Senate Democrats led by U.S. Senator Gary Peters (D-MI), to introduce the Military and Federal Employee Protection Act, which would provide a one-time appropriation to pay service members, federal employees, and contractors who have missed any compensation, as a result of the government shutdown. The bill would ensure that both furloughed employees, as well as employees who have continued to work, are guaranteed to receive their standard pay for work completed since October 1. The bill would also require that all employees receive their compensation within one week of enactment, to ensure they are paid in a timely fashion.

The Military and Federal Employee Protection Act would also include restrictions that limit how the funding can be used and bars the Trump Administration from spending the funds for any purposes other than compensating service members, federal employees, and contractors.

"Our service members and federal workers dedicate their lives and careers to serving our country, and it is unconscionable that they should go without pay because of Donald Trump's promise to use the shutdown to 'inflict maximum pain on Americans,'" said Senator Booker. "Republicans control the White House, the Senate, and the House of Representatives. Every day that they continue to negotiate with Democrats, more and more people across our country suffer. I remain committed to ensuring Americans can afford their health care and service members, federal employees, and contractors receive the pay they have earned without delay."

"I'm going to continue to work to end this government shutdown and address the health care crisis. But in the meantime, let's protect our servicemembers and our federal employees, not put other stuff in the bill, just pay them so they can meet their bills as they arise," Senator Peters said.

"No federal worker or servicemember should be punished for this shutdown that was brought on through no fault of their own. Republicans are hell-bent on letting Trump pick winners and losers here, but every federal worker, servicemember, and federal contractor deserves to get paid. Our bills would ensure just that, and if Republicans were serious about supporting our federal employees, they would support them. We must keep pressing to reopen the government with a responsible agreement that holds the President accountable to the law, protects federal workers and our servicemembers, and prevents massive spikes in Americans' health care costs," said Senator Van Hollen.

"Since day one, the Trump Administration has enacted policy after policy to traumatize, politicize, and hollow out the federal workforce that delivers essential services to the American people. Now, Senate Republicans want to give President Trump more power to decide which of these workers get paid, and which get punished. Nothing about that is fair, and I'm proud to stand with my Democratic colleagues in proposing alternative legislation to ensure that America's entire workforce of dedicated and patriotic federal employees is treated equally," said Senator Kaine.

"In New Mexico and across the country, our federal workers, servicemembers, and contractors dedicate their lives to serving the American people. These hardworking Americans should not bear the brunt of the pain Republicans are inflicting through this shutdown. That's why I'm joining my colleagues to introduce legislation ensuring every federal employee, servicemember, and federal contractor is paid during the ongoing Republican shutdown." said Senator Luján.

"It defies common sense and anyone's definition of fairness to say that only certain federal employees should get paid during a shutdown, or that federal employees should be laid off during a shutdown. We need to do everything we can to end this shutdown and get these folks paid and back to work," said Senator Welch. "This bill pushes back against the President's lawless rampage and ensures all of our federal workers and servicemembers are paid for doing their jobs."

"While House Republicans are on a paid, monthlong vacation in the middle of a shutdown, federal employees and contractors - who have bills to pay and families to take care of - are being forced to go weeks on end without a paycheck. Our bill ensures that federal workers and servicemembers are not punished because of the Republicans' refusal to show up to work and negotiate an agreement that prevents health care costs from skyrocketing," said Senator Schatz.

"Every day federal workers are out there keeping us safe, keeping our food supply secure, enforcing our laws, and caring for our veterans. They are the backbone of the services Americans count on. But from the start, this administration has treated the federal workers not as partners in serving the American people, but as adversaries to be traumatized, punished and politicized. Now, Senate Republicans want to give President Trump even more authority to decide which of these workers get paid and which get punished. I'm proud to stand with my colleagues to introduce this bill to make sure every service member, federal employee and contractor gets treated with the respect they deserve during this cruel Republican shutdown," said Senator Warner.

"As Donald Trump and Washington Republicans continue to hold the federal government hostage and refuse to act to prevent a spike in health care costs, military families and federal workers continue to suffer," said Senator Rosen. "I'm proud to help introduce this bill to make sure all federal workers and servicemembers are compensated while Republicans continue to refuse to reopen the government and protect access to health care."

"Republicans could come to the negotiating table end this shutdown today, but instead, they're choosing to leave town and play politics with the livelihoods of federal workers and servicemembers and jacking up healthcare costs for millions of Americans," said Senator Gallego. "I'm proud to introduce this legislation to ensure that the entire federal workforce gets paid while Republicans refuse to do their jobs."

The Military and Federal Employee Protection Act is supported by 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).

This bill is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D-WA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Tina Smith (D-MN), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Mark Warner (D-VA), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Alex Padilla (D-CA). Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Angus King (I-ME), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Chris Coons (D-DE), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Peter Welch (D-VT), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Ed Markey (D-MA), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ron Wyden (D-OR), and Adam Schiff (D-CA).

The full text of the bill can be found here.