WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) joined Senator Brian Schatz (D-HI) and 17 colleagues in introducing the Federal Employee Civil Relief Act. The legislation would protect federal workers, federal contractor employees, and their families from foreclosures, evictions, and loan defaults during a government shutdown.
“Federal workers provide essential services to our government and our country, and their livelihoods should not be used by Trump and Republicans as a bargaining chip in this shutdown,” said Senator Hirono. “These workers shouldn’t be punished for a shutdown that they had no control over, and I’m proud to join my colleagues in introducing the Federal Employee Civil Relief Act. This legislation would help hundreds of thousands of federal employees, ensuring that they have a chance to keep up with their bills and continue to support themselves and their families.”
The Federal Employee Civil Relief Act addresses the threat of federal workers and contractors losing their homes, falling behind on student loans and other bills, or having their car repossessed because they have been furloughed during a shutdown or required to work without pay. The legislation would protect impacted workers from:
The protection would last during and 30 days following a shutdown to give workers a chance to keep up with their bills. The government shutdown, now in its second week, impacts thousands of federal workers and federal contractor employees in all 50 states.
The Federal Employee Civil Relief Act is supported by the National Treasury Employees Union, International Federal of Professional and Technical Engineers, National Federation of Federal Employees-IAM, American Federation of Government Employees, National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association, UNITE HERE, LIUNA (Laborers' International Union of North America), and the Transport Workers Union.
In addition to Senators Hirono and Schatz, the legislation is also cosponsored by Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Mark Warner (D-VA), and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA).Companion legislation in the House of Representatives is set to be introduced by U.S. Representative Brendan Boyle (D-PA).
The full text of the legislation is available here.
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