Hoyer Meets With Federal Workers
Congressmen Steny H. Hoyer and Glenn Ivey hosted a roundtable with federal workers, local labor leaders, and officials from the Moore-Miller administration to discuss the effects of ongoing shutdown of the federal government.
Representatives from the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers, the National Treasury Employees Union, and the American Federation of Government Employees participated in the October 23 discussion.
“Federal employees shared stories about the trauma and pain Donald Trump, Russell Vought, and Congressional Republicans have inflicted on the federal workforce not only during the 23 days of the shutdown but throughout the ten months since Trump took office,” according to Rep. Hoyer.
The congressmen highlighted their efforts to support federal workers during this challenging time. They also detailed the consequences Republicans’ inaction will have for Marylanders’ health care costs.
According to the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange, if Republicans allow the tax credits for the Affordable Care Act to expire, 190,000 Marylanders will see their monthly health premiums go up by an average of 68%. Another 110,000 Marylanders would see an average increase of 17%.
“I have always said that shutdowns are a stupid, arrogant, and costly policy,” Congressman Hoyer said. “No one understands that dire cost better than our federal workers. For ten months, the Trump administration has been treating them like ‘villains’ who ought to be ‘put in trauma’ – to borrow Russell Vought’s own words. Trump and Vought aren’t trying to reopen the government; they’re actively working to dismantle it entirely. House Republicans have been missing in action for weeks, preferring to flee Washington than work with Democrats on a bipartisan solution to reopen the government and keep Americans’ health care costs from skyrocketing when the tax credits for the Affordable Care Act expire at the end of this year. Until they choose to govern, I will continue working with the rest of Team Maryland to help our federal workers weather this storm.”
“Congressman Hoyer’s leadership in standing up for federal workers is exactly what Maryland needs right now. Across the DC region and specifically in Prince George’s County; thousands of dedicated public servants have been fired, RIF’d, or furloughed through no fault of their own. They deserve real support, retraining, and respect. Joining him here today to champion our civil servants is an important step to help inform the impacted workers and contractors. We will collaborate with our colleagues on federal Team Maryland to fight against these job-cuts and strive to keep health care costs from breaking the backs of our constituents,” Congressman Ivey said.
Congressman Hoyer is chair of the Regional Leadership Council.
For more information about Rep. Steny H. Hoyer, visit his Leader member page.
