Olszewski to Introduce SAFE Act to Shield Federal Workers from Trump Administration Layoffs During Potential Shutdown
(Washington, DC) – Congressman Johnny Olszewski (MD-02) today will introduce the Securing Assurance for Federal Employees (SAFE) Act to block the Trump Administration from carrying out mass federal layoffs during a potential government shutdown if Congress fails to pass a spending bill by Tuesday.
The bill – co-lead by Congresswoman Brittany Pettersen (CO-07) – responds directly to an Office of Management and Budget memo made public Thursday that outlines plans for layoffs that go far beyond standard shutdown furloughs.
More than 15,000 federal workers in Maryland have already lost their jobs under the current Administration — the highest total of any state in the nation.
“Our federal workers are people, not political pawns,” said Congressman Olszewski, whose district is home to more than 22,000 federal employees. “These mass firings would make any shutdown effectively permanent, stripping thousands of dedicated, patriotic workers of their livelihoods and depriving the American public of the critical government services they provide. If the Administration and Congressional Republicans refuse to return to Washington and negotiate a bipartisan budget, we must do everything possible to protect these employees.”
“Ever since Trump was sworn in to office, he has relentlessly attacked the federal workers who provide critical services that Coloradans depend on – from Social Security to Medicare to the IRS and more,” said Congresswoman Pettersen. “Now, Trump and Republicans refuse to work with Democrats to find a solution to fund the government and lower the skyrocketing cost of health care. Trump has proven more than enough times that he doesn’t care about working families – he only cares about his millionaire and billionaire friends who can line his pockets. Instead, he’d rather take a sledgehammer to our federal workforce, shut down the government, and take away paychecks from our servicemembers and hardworking families trying to stay afloat. It’s shameful that Trump is using our federal workforce as a political pawn and at the very least we should stop him from doing even more damage before it’s too late.”
The SAFE Act would safeguard federal employees during this and all future shutdowns by prohibiting unlawful terminations and requiring reinstatement with back pay for anyone fired in violation of the law. Congressman Olszewski will officially introduce the legislation today during the House’s pro forma session.
This legislation builds on Congressman Olszewski’s continued efforts to defend the civil service amid a sustained assault by the Trump Administration. Earlier this year, he introduced a measure requiring the reinstatement of federal employees dismissed by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) while on probationary status due to a recent promotion.
The legislation is cosponsored by Representatives Nanette Barragán (CA-44), Joyce Beatty (OH-03), André Carson (IN-07), Gil Cisneros (CA-31), Emmanuel Cleaver (MO-05), Angie Craig (MN-02), Madeleine Dean (PA-04), Maxine Dexter (OR-03), Sarah Elfreth (MD-03), Laura Friedman (CA-30), Jesús “Chuy” García (IL-04), Dan Goldman (NY-10), Vicente Gonzalez (TX-34), Steven Horsford (NV-04), Steny Hoyer (MD-05), Jonathan Jackson (IL-01), Tim Kennedy (NY-26), Summer Lee (PA-12), Susie Lee (NV-03), Ted Lieu (CA-36), Betty McCollum (MN-04), Jim McGovern (MA-02), LaMonica McIver (NJ-10), Kweisi Mfume (MD-07), Seth Moulton (MA-06), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Brittany Pettersen (CO-07), Chellie Pingree (ME-01), Emily Randall (WA-06), Raúl Ruiz (CA-25), Andrea Salinas (OR-06), Hillary Scholten (MI-03), Melanie Stansbury (NM-01), Dina Titus (NV-01), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Norma Torres (CA-35), James Walkinshaw (VA-11), and George Whitesides (CA-27).
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