[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 77 (Thursday, May 9, 2019)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E564]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             INTRODUCTION OF THE FEDERAL REIMBURSEMENT BILL

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                              HON. ED CASE

                               of hawaii

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 9, 2019

  Mr. CASE. Madam Speaker, I rise today to introduce my bill, which 
would ensure all federal employees are treated fairly and are 
reimbursed in a timely manner for travel expenses during a shutdown.
  Good government includes ensuring that during shutdowns, essential 
services are still performed. Thus, during the last government 
shutdown, federal employees, including TSA personnel in Hawai`i, 
continued to make official trips in support of their important 
security-related duties.
  Unfortunately, these employees did not receive formal guidance on how 
or if they would be reimbursed for the official travel expenses they 
paid for using their own credit cards. This could have resulted in late 
payments and penalties, impacted their credit scores, and increased 
interest rates for both their personal and government cards.
   No government employee should be held liable for the government's 
expenses during the shutdown. They should not have to pay for 
government travel on their personal travel cards without knowing when, 
or if, they will be reimbursed. My legislation would improve government 
functions by ensuring federal employees do not have to personally take 
on these liabilities.

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