Press Release

January 16, 2019
Cardin Bill to Provide Back Pay for Furloughed Federal Workers is Signed into Law
"Now that we are guaranteeing pay to the hundreds of thousands of federal workers who have been locked out of their jobs, let's reopen the government and get them all back to work so American taxpayers can receive the services they need and are paying for."

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), author of S. 24, the Government Employee Fair Treatment Act, issued the following statement after President Trump signed the bill into law Wednesday.

“Twenty-six days into the federal government shutdown, we are bringing some long-term relief to furloughed workers, but we still need to reopen the government immediately. The promise of back pay will not cover the cost of rent or groceries today. It won’t make a car payment or cover prescriptions. This needless shutdown is having a painful effect on hundreds of thousands of workers, their families and their communities.

“Federal workers are dedicated public servants who shouldn’t continue to suffer. Many of them are working dangerous jobs without knowing when their next paycheck may come. Many others are being forcibly furloughed and unable to carry out their mission – because of the government shutdown. Now that we are guaranteeing pay to the hundreds of thousands of federal workers who have been locked out of their jobs, let’s reopen the government and get them all back to work so American taxpayers can receive the services they need and are paying for. Only once the government is open again, can we have a reasonable discussion about border security and the issues at the heart of the current shutdown.”

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