Republicans instead opt for legislation that allows Trump to cherry-pick which federal workers get paid
October 23, 2025
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Senator Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.) spoke on the Senate Floor advocating for Republicans to pass her and Senator Van Hollen’s True Shutdown Fairness Act, which would pay all federal employees – both those excepted and furloughed – as well as service members and federal contractors during the current Republican-led shutdown and would also prevent the Administration’s attempts at mass firings (Reductions in Force or RIFs) while the government is shut down.
Maryland’s senior Senator, Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) introduced the legislation and called for a vote today. Republicans blocked the legislation from even getting a vote.
“We cannot cherry-pick who gets paid during a shutdown based on our perception of the political affiliations of our patriotic civil servants. We must pass legislation that ensures our federal workers receive the paychecks they earned. Around 750,000 federal employees have been furloughed this month—at no fault of their own,” said Senator Alsobrooks.
She continued, “Senator Johnson’s bill would ignore these dedicated workers, leaving them to continue to go without a paycheck while President Trump refuses to get back to the bargaining table. They can’t afford to wait for the President to tire of throwing celebratory picnics, or tearing down the White House for a gilded ballroom…”
She continued, “In case some of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle have forgotten – federal workers don’t just serve Democrats. They serve every American citizen who needs their help. Researching cures for cancer isn’t just for people who live in blue states. Making sure people get their Social Security checks isn’t some left wing conspiracy. I would assume that everyone in this body agrees that Americans should get paid for their labor. Well, if you believe that, you will support our bill.”
The legislation is cosponsored by Senators Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.).
The Senators’ legislation is endorsed by American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU), National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE), American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE), Partnership for Public Service, and The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO).
WATCH SENATOR ALSOBROOKS FULL FLOOR SPEECH
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