Jobs and Economy
Information regarding my stance on Jobs and Economy issues.
At least 80 members of Congress have said they will refuse their paychecks or donate their earnings for the length of the shutdown in solidarity with unpaid federal employees.
Approximately 800,000 federal workers are going without pay due to the partial government shutdown. Of those, 380,000 are furloughed and 420,000, deemed essential, continue to work without pay.
Freshman U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin is asking Education Secretary Betsy DeVos to "proactively" reach out to student loan providers to encourage special dispensation for federal employees affected by the partial government shutdown.
In a Tuesday letter, Slotkin, a Holly Democrat, urged the U.S. Department of Education to do "everything in its power to ease the burden of student loan payments on all federal employees," including urging loan providers to tell borrowers about refinancing options.
On Jan. 11th, Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) released the following statement as the partial government shutdown reached its 21st day, threatening to become the longest government shutdown in U.S. history (the shutdown has now become the longest in history.)
Today Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) marched with federal employees and shared stories from Oregonians on the House floor to continue her call for an end to the partial government shutdown.
In her remarks on the House floor, Bonamici described how employees at the TSA, federal prisons, Coast Guard, and other federal agencies are being hurt as a direct result of the government shutdown. At the Rally to End the Government Shutdown, which was organized by more than 20 unions, Bonamici stood in solidarity with federal employees.
Shutdown impacts over 41,000 active duty Coast Guard members performing missions and protecting the coastal borders
Oregon lawmakers applauded legislation introduced by Chairman of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR) that would provide funding for the Coast Guard and ensure that active duty and reserve members of the Coast Guard are paid during the government shutdown. Members of the Coast Guard are the only members of the United States military not being paid for their critical and continuing operations.
Congressman Peter DeFazio is fighting for U.S. Coast Guard members to get paid during the government shutdown.
On Wednesday, the U.S House of Representatives sent out a press release detailing efforts from DeFazio, who is also the Chairman of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. He introduced legislation that would "provide funding for the Coast Guard and ensure that active duty and reserve members of the Coast Guard are paid during the government shutdown," the release said.
Two Oregon lawmakers have applauded legislation introduced by Congressman Peter DeFazio that would provide funding for the Coast Guard and ensure that active duty and reserve members are paid during the government shutdown.
A release from the 4th District Congressman said members of the Guard are the only members of the United States military that are not being paid at this time.
Two Democratic members of Congress from Oregon met with TSA agents and air-traffic controllers at Portland International Airport on Tuesday before flying back to Washington, D.C.
U.S. representatives Suzanne Bonamici and Kurt Schrader met with the federal workers who are considered "essential," which means they're working without pay, like others across the country.
More than 700 air traffic controllers and security officers continue to show up to work at airports across Oregon with no assurance of their next paycheck as the federal government shutdown hit the 18-day mark on Tuesday.
Some workers, however, are growing increasingly worried.