Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland led a information convention on Tuesday exterior the headquarters of the Workplace of Administration and Price range with different lawmakers who signify Maryland and Virginia. The Democrats blasted Republicans and the White Home for the shutdown and its influence on federal staff.
“When Donald Trump shuts down the federal authorities, the Maryland and Virginia delegation come collectively and step up,” Van Hollen stated, citing the excessive variety of federal workers who dwell within the space.
Van Hollen lauded federal workers for the way they “assist our veterans, they assist make sure that our meals and water is protected. They assist develop therapies and cures to illnesses that influence each American household, and the record goes on and on.” He stated when President Trump and OMB Director Russ Vought “viciously assault our federal workers, they’re attacking the American folks — that’s what they’re doing.”
“And this shutdown is totally different from earlier ones,” Van Hollen stated, accusing the administration of “utilizing this second to terrorize these patriotic federal workers.”
Layoffs that the Trump administration had warned would happen due to the shutdown started late final week. On Friday, the administration disclosed that seven companies had begun issuing reduction-in-force notices to greater than 4,000 staff.
“In earlier shutdowns, federal staff received furloughed. They didn’t get fired,” Van Hollen stated.
“Firing and threatening to fireplace federal workers is a part of the Trump administration’s marketing campaign to inflict trauma on our federal workforce,” he added.
Van Hollen known as on the administration to “cease attacking federal workers, cease attacking the American folks, and begin negotiating to reopen the federal authorities.”
