[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 24 (Wednesday, February 5, 2025)]
[House]
[Pages H485-H491]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SUPPORTING FEDERAL WORKERS
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of
January 3, 2025, the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Ivey) is recognized
for 60 minutes as the designee of the minority leader.
general leave
Mr. IVEY. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and
include extraneous material in the Record.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Maryland?
There was no objection.
Mr. IVEY. Mr. Speaker, the Congressional Labor Caucus comes today to
oppose the Trump administration's unlawful and unconstitutional attacks
on Federal workers.
Our Federal workforce has the experience and expertise that America
needs. We must protect the public. The air that we breathe, the water
we drink, the medicine we take, and the food that we eat hangs in the
balance.
This fight is too important. We cannot allow the Trump administration
to replace a competitive merit system with a political spoils system.
That is why we will keep fighting in Congress and the courts. I have my
colleagues with me today who have come to express their concerns.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Norcross).
Mr. NORCROSS. Mr. Speaker, as co-chair of the Labor Caucus, I am here
today to speak on something I didn't think we would ever have to. We
have to talk about the hard work of our Federal workforce, those
workers who get up every day to go to work, the ones who keep our food
safe, the water safe to drink, and the air safe to breathe.
Federal workers are nurses. They are doctors. They are in the VA,
taking care of our vets each and every day. They are civilian DOD
workers. That is right. They are working in the Pentagon and around the
world to make sure that our military is ready to go. They are the ones
who are processing Social Security checks for our seniors. They are the
TSA agents, who we see every time we go to the airport.
Trump is making it hard, almost impossible, for them to do their
jobs. He wants them to quit. They dedicated their lives for us. Who is
the Federal workforce? They are you and me.
They say they have to come back to the office when it is more
efficient for a person, agreed upon with management, to work from a
different location.
I suggest, if we really want to know where Federal workers are, look
at the offices where the Member is supposed to be showing up. Tell me
how many times they go to the office. That is what we are dealing with.
Trump is revoking their union contracts, the contracts which they
negotiated legally and tried to enforce. It is so important. Trump
doesn't have the authority to change these agreements, but he is doing
it. It is going to take our courts to turn this around.
America's civil service is a merit system. Trump signed another
executive order to remove jobs from the nonpartisan civil service. Here
we are, back again.
These civil servants wake up every day to help us. I am not seeing
any of those civil servants flying their private airplanes like Mr.
Musk and Mr. Trump. They are just regular people like us, trying to get
by.
As we have this discussion with all the Labor Caucus, I want to take
a minute to thank Glenn Ivey, who represents so many Federal workers
back in his district, and Stephen Lynch, who has been leading our fight
at the Postal Service.
At the end of the day, we have to stick together. Right there, carved
into the wood, it says, ``Union,'' and that is what we have to have.
God bless them. I thank every Federal worker for what they do.
Mr. IVEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Illinois (Ms.
Schakowsky).
Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman Ivey for yielding to
me.
Mr. Speaker, this is so important, yet we should be ashamed of the
way the Trump administration has been absolutely attacking our Federal
workers, the people who go to work every single day to do important
functions.
They don't have any ulterior motive. They are making sure our senior
citizens get their medications and that we take care of our veterans
who need help. These are the kinds of things they do. They are servants
to all of our people. They are doing their best job, yet they are being
criticized.
I thank them, and I pledge to all of our Federal workers that I will
be here to praise them, to protect them, and to say that they have not
only every right but every privilege of serving the American people as
they have done day in and day out.
Mr. Speaker, I say hooray to the workers who do so much every single
day. They don't ask for any special awards but do the work that the
people of the United States need. We have to thank them every single
day for their work and not denigrate them as the Trump administration
has done.
Mr. IVEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for her remarks.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to Representative Sanchez.
Ms. SANCHEZ. Mr. Speaker, I thank Glenn Ivey for his wonderful work.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of our Nation's Federal workers.
As a member of the Labor Caucus, I stand with the essential workers who
provide critical services to the American public.
Make no mistake, we are seeing a direct attack on our democracy right
now. Efforts to shut down Federal agencies are designed to erode our
Nation's foundation. No one, not the President, not an unelected
billionaire, has the right to singlehandedly dismantle Federal agencies
created and funded by the Congress, yet that is exactly what is
happening.
President Trump has surrendered control over to Elon Musk, allowing
him to dismantle our institutions without any oversight. This is a
blatant abuse of power, and it is happening on this Congress' watch.
They have attacked Federal workers, replacing skilled civil servants
with political loyalists. They have targeted and smeared public
employees who have served this country honorably, many for decades.
They are even rejecting union contracts that were lawfully negotiated
between the government and workers. This is union-busting, plain and
simple.
As a former union member, I won't stand for that. These contracts are
protected by law and cannot be changed
[[Page H486]]
on a whim or, more likely, on a tantrum.
It gets worse. Elon Musk's DOGE has even infiltrated the Treasury
Department. He and a bunch of twentysomethings now have access to the
Federal payment system and the confidential data of almost every
American.
Why on Earth do a bunch of kids who are not even legally old enough
to rent a car need access to Americans' personal information and data?
Why should they have their hands on our Social Security or Medicare
payment or see whether we or a loved one has a disability or whether or
not we received a tax refund?
This isn't just a violation of privacy. It is a breach of the trust
of the American people who they put in government.
DOGE needs to be held accountable for its unlawful actions, and
Democrats are and will continue to fight back. We are demanding
hearings, investigations, and supporting lawsuits that seek to protect
our constituents' very personal information.
We need the few Republicans in this body who care about the rule of
law to join us in this fight. We need to defend Congress'
constitutional authorities, the power of the purse, and oversight of
the executive branch. We need Republicans to stand up for all
Americans.
We want all Federal workers to please know that they are essential.
America values them, needs them, and has their backs. When they are
attacked, every American who depends on them is also attacked.
Mr. Speaker, I once again thank my colleague, Mr. Glenn Ivey, for
yielding.
Mr. IVEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr.
Pocan).
Mr. POCAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Ivey for convening this Special
Order hour and for his hard work on behalf of the Federal employees and
all workers in his district. As a co-chair of the Congressional Labor
Caucus, I am proud to stand with our essential workers who keep the
government running every day.
Since day one of this administration, President Trump has
relentlessly attacked Federal employees as he and Elon Musk seek to
eliminate nonpartisan, career public servant jobs across the country.
These attacks on Federal workers are straight out of the Project 2025
playbook.
Unelected billionaire Elon Musk has been bulldozing through the
Federal workforce, demanding the firing of hundreds of thousands of
employees whose only fireable offense is trying to serve the American
people.
{time} 1730
Federal workers are nurses and doctors at veterans hospitals. They
process Social Security checks for seniors. They are TSA agents and air
traffic controllers who keep us safe when we fly.
More than 85 percent of the Federal workforce operates outside of
Washington, D.C. In my home State of Wisconsin, there are 18,000
Federal civilian employees, including over 5,800 Federal workers in my
district alone.
In the last 2 days, my office has gotten over 1,000 constituent calls
with people angry, hurt, and terrified that the services they use every
day will vanish along with the workers who make these programs run. An
attack on Federal workers is an attack on the services that Americans
rely on every day.
Elon Musk and Trump will continue to put lives at risk as they seek
to cut $4 trillion over the next 10 years to pay for tax cuts for Elon
Musk, Donald Trump, and the wealthiest.
To all the selfless civil servants, our message is clear: America
needs you, and we have your back. We are fighting in Congress to oppose
Donald Trump and Elon Musk's baseless attacks on you and your important
work. We urge you to stand strong.
Mr. IVEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his remarks.
I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Menendez).
Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I thank my incredible colleague Glenn Ivey
for convening us here today and for the opportunity to speak.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in solidarity with our Nation's Federal
workers, including the more than 22,000 who live and work in the great
State of New Jersey.
Our Federal workforce is a vital cornerstone of our work to protect
the most vulnerable amongst us, grow our economy, protect our national
security, and to keep us safe.
In Newark, our air traffic controllers and TSA agents devote their
careers to keeping our skies safe and getting us to where we need to go
safely.
Social Security employees in the Hoboken field office assist our
seniors and those with disabilities in receiving the benefits they have
earned and depend on.
USCIS officials in Newark assist immigrant families with processing
their visas, green cards, and applications for naturalization.
Our Nation runs because of Federal workers, and an attack on them is
an attack on the services that Americans rely on every day.
Along with my Democratic colleagues, I want to make our message to
Federal employees clear. We have your back, and we will not back down.
We will continue to oppose this administration's baseless and lawless
attempts to diminish the important work you do every day.
Our civil service is a merit system protected by the right to due
process, and attempts to implement Schedule F, union bust, and
undermine our collective bargaining process will be met with swift and
unyielding resistance from me, the Congressional Labor Caucus, and my
colleagues on this side of the aisle.
The decision to enter public service is an honorable one, and
millions of Federal workers and retirees who have made that decision
deserve our support.
Mr. IVEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his remarks.
I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Maryland (Mrs. McClain
Delaney).
Mrs. McCLAIN DELANEY. Mr. Speaker, as a proud member of the Labor
Caucus, I rise today to stand up against the administration's actions
against our 2.2 million Federal workers, including 35,000 of them in
the Sixth District of Maryland.
America's greatest asset is its people, and our dedicated civil
servants are no exception.
I am so deeply troubled by the administration and Elon Musk's efforts
and actions to access every Americans' data and to more importantly
access the U.S. Treasury Department's Federal payment system, including
U.S. taxpayers' confidential financial information to slash critical
Federal programs and to threaten the termination of thousands of
Federal workers.
I am even greater alarmed by the Trump administration's flagrant
efforts to seek political retribution against Federal agents for past
investigations, including investigating the violence that occurred on
January 6.
Many Members feared for their lives that day, and insurrectionists
violently assaulted officers tasked with protecting the people here in
this building. Now, these agents are at risk for losing their
livelihoods for following the law and doing their jobs.
All of this follows the Trump administration's OMB directive to
illegally freeze congressionally approved Federal funding and its
letter to more than 2 million Federal employees offering a buyout from
service. I implore you, do not take that buyout. It is not to be
trusted.
As the buyout letter says, we are truly at a fork in the road. Do we
defend American workers and our institutions or gut the Federal
agencies of the knowledge that fuels American innovation and
strengthens our national security?
These attacks strike at the bedrock of our American values and
represent an unprecedented power grab that undermines our democracy's
checks and balances.
Many of these actions have not been authorized by Congress and
rightfully belong under its purview.
While I have long believed in seeking common ground when governing, I
must now stand my ground for the 35,000 government employees in my
district and countless more across the country looking now for Congress
to take action.
Yesterday, I joined a briefing with several colleagues from Virginia,
Maryland, and other places along with members of AFGE, AFSCME,
Democracy Forward, NTEU, IFPTE, NARFE,
[[Page H487]]
NFFE, and AFL-CIO in conjunction to develop an action plan to better
defend our workers at USAID, at DOL, at the Department of Education, at
NOAA, and so many other agencies under imminent threat of mandated
leave, termination, or closure.
In closing, from NIST to Fort Detrick to our National Fire Academy in
the Sixth District, Federal workers in Maryland are counting on us, the
people in this Chamber and in our communities, to stand up and speak up
for them.
Mr. IVEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from
Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern).
Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of our public servants
as they face an unprecedented, illegal attack by the Trump
administration.
Our Federal employees are part of every single community in America.
They keep us safe. They sustain us, and they support us. Now, they are
under attack.
Donald Trump and Elon Musk's attack on the Federal workforce is an
illegal purge. Don't let anyone call it anything else. This is a purge.
It is an unlawful attempt by a reality show wannabe king to install
cronies and bootlickers.
Our public servants represent the best of us. They are selfless,
determined, disciplined, and professional. They are everything that
Donald Trump and his MAGA flunkies are not.
To our public servants I say this: Do not be afraid. Do not be
intimidated. The law is on your side. We are still with you. A grateful
Nation is still with you. You have dedicated your lives to the American
people. You have made our country strong. Have faith that our country
is strong enough to withstand the petty tantrums of a small, self-
obsessed man who disgraces the very idea of public service with his
every breath.
Now is the time for courage. I am grateful for your service. I
believe in you.
Mr. IVEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his remarks.
I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Landsman).
Mr. LANDSMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support our Federal
workers. These are public servants who live and work all over the
country. The vast majority of our Federal workers do not live in the
Washington, D.C., area. It is a big misconception. People think, well,
these are Federal workers. They are just here in D.C.
They are in our districts. Each one of us has probably tens of
thousands of Federal employees in our congressional districts, meaning
that we serve them. It just so happens that they serve us.
Trump and Elon Musk have been setting these fires all over the
Federal Government. They have launched this reckless trade war with
China. They tried to stop Federal funding from going into our
communities. These are our tax dollars. Trump gave an unelected tech
billionaire access to our Social Security data, to all of our data, to
our Federal payment system, and empowered him to purge as many public
servants from our Federal agencies as he possibly could.
One of those public servants is a constituent of mine in southwest
Ohio. She lost her job. For 20 years, she worked at USAID leading the
agency's famine early detection efforts. Her work ensured food reached
children, families, and communities in crisis. She saved lives.
It is not just about food. Hunger fuels instability. When people are
desperate, terrorism thrives. When the U.S. pulls back, it creates a
vacuum for China to step in. This administration's actions are just
cruel, and they are making our country and our world less safe.
Why are they purging our Federal workforce? They have got to find $4
trillion--$4 trillion that won't go to you or me or our communities.
They are planning to use these dollars to pay for tax giveaways for the
uberwealthy, for the Elon Musks of the world. They are stealing from
our workers, our country, and our allies all so the uberwealthy can get
wealthier. It has to be stopped. This Congress can stop it, but the
majority has to step up.
Mr. IVEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his remarks.
I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Casten).
Mr. CASTEN. Mr. Speaker, last week I spent an afternoon at the
National Air Traffic Control Center in Aurora, Illinois. I had been
invited to discuss some work our office has been doing to make sure
these folks are not penalized for seeking mental health care. None of
us could have anticipated that our visit would be after the crash of
American flight 5342 in Washington, but it is safe to say that that
office was shook. Then we started talking about mental health.
One employee said that their staff still remembers the arson attack
on the facility back in 2014 and that they were nervous that recent
budget cuts have limited their ability to maintain security levels at
the facility.
Another employee asked how should they interpret announcements from
the Trump White House that Federal employees were going to get laid
off. Would they have a job? If they got laid off, who was going to do
their work? How would they continue to support their families?
A female air traffic controller asked why Donald Trump immediately
blamed the crash on DEI hiring practices. It wasn't lost on any of us
that our air traffic controllers, like our society, are not exclusively
straight, White men. She was wondering if she was about to get fired
solely on account of her gender.
Now, let that all sink in. These are hardworking Federal employees
who have dedicated their lives to keeping our skies safe. They are
overworked, underpaid, and now they are wondering whether the President
of the United States, his Republican enablers, and his IT goons are
about to fire them, curtail their pay, and blame them for airline
tragedies because of the way they look, who they love, and how they
pray.
What possible good comes to the American people by having a bunch of
stressed-out air traffic controllers?
The United States Government can't function without these nonpartisan
civil servants: our air traffic controllers, our TSA agents, our VA
hospital workers, and the people who make sure your Social Security
payments get through.
Why would we want to break that? Maybe you want to break it because
you are carrying out Russia's foreign policy. Maybe you want to break
it because you are just a grifter who has figured out that you are
going to short the stock market after you tank it. Maybe you are just a
coward. Maybe you are an idiot. Maybe you think it is better to be
proximate to power than to stand up for whatever is right. Whatever it
is, it ain't patriotism, and it scares the dickens out of me that
standing up for America in 2025 is a partisan endeavor.
Mr. IVEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his remarks.
I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer).
Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for hosting this Special
Order. I thank my colleague for his service.
In full disclosure, my colleague and I probably represent between us
about 150,000 Federal employees. I rise not only for those Federal
employees, who I care a lot about, as does Mr. Ivey, but I rise for the
Federal employees throughout America. I rise not just for them. I rise
because they serve America every day in critical places for veterans,
for homeowners, for moms, for dads, for teachers, for doctors, and for
nurses, all of whom rely on the Federal Government so that they can
give services needed by the American people.
{time} 1745
Why are we doing this?
I just said upstairs that I have been here for 44 years. This is an
unprecedented move taken by the Trump administration and the Musk
administration in the first 15 days. There has been no thought, no
planning, and no consultation. It is a blitzkrieg on the American
Government.
Mr. Speaker, let me just give you the words of Russell Vought who is
going to be heading up, apparently, the OMB, the Office of Management
and Budget.
This is what he said not so long ago:
``We want the bureaucrats to be traumatically affected. When they
wake up in the morning, we want them to not want to go to work because
they are increasingly viewed as the villains. We want their funding to
be shut down. . . . ''
He is referring to the EPA, but he has aimed his objective at all of
the agencies of government.
[[Page H488]]
Mr. Speaker, I rise not only on behalf of Federal workers, as I said,
who every day perform the services we, the Congress representing the
American people, have asked them to do. They didn't create any of these
agencies, we did. They did not give them the objectives, we did. They
are performing the services for the American people that the American
people need and, yes, want.
The initial notice went out to 2 million people, approximately all of
the civilian employees of the Federal service. I want everybody to
think for just one second what if all 2 million of Americans' civil
servants said: Okay, we are gone. Then having been promised to be paid
for 7 months for doing no work, the government shut down. Business,
commerce, education, healthcare, and public safety would all be shut
down. That is not what the American people voted for.
Mr. Speaker, are the people who help feed our seniors and our
children, who provide medical care to our veterans, who keep our
communities clean and safe, who help Americans recover from disasters,
and who defend our national security and provide countless other
services to American people villains? Hell, no. They are heroes and
absolutely essential for America to be great.
When you treat Federal workers as villains, then you turn the
American people into victims. That is what this administration is
doing.
They have offered Federal workers a buyout with a deadline just hours
away without any consultation to determine the adverse or, frankly,
positive impact of such an action. That is not what the American people
expect us to do.
I, and the Members who speak here, hope all the Members of this
House, will do what the Founding Fathers thought we should do: Be an
independent branch of government to set policy and not allow the
Federal workers or the Federal Government to be run over by somebody
who likes firing people.
Mr. IVEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the Congressman for his remarks.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Brown.)
Ms. BROWN. I thank Congressman Ivey for organizing this Special Order
hour.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of more than 9,000 Federal workers in
my district and their dedicated colleagues across the country.
Make no mistake, Mr. Speaker. President Trump and unelected
billionaire Elon Musk are waging an all-out assault on Federal workers.
In just 2 weeks, they have engaged in unlawful union busting, budget
freezes, and civil servant layoffs all designed to intimidate, weaken,
and dismantle our Federal workforce.
This isn't just an attack on Federal employees. It is an attack on
all of us. In northeast Ohio, Federal workers process Social Security
checks for seniors. They are doctors and nurses caring for veterans.
They are TSA agents and air traffic controllers who keep us safe when
we fly. They are researchers developing new technologies at NASA Glenn.
These are hardworking, honorable public servants who deserve our
respect, not threats and not pink slips.
Let's be clear. This reckless effort to push Federal workers out
isn't about rightsizing government; it is about gutting it. It is about
dismantling the very services that millions of Americans depend on.
This is part of a coordinated effort to erode trust in government
because the President and his billionaire buddies want it to fail. They
don't want experienced workers loyal to the country. They want
political lackeys loyal to only one man. They push the lie that
government is inherently wasteful and that Federal employees are part
of some so-called deep state.
It is nonsense, and it is dangerous. Here is why they are really
doing it: To strip away labor, consumer, and environmental protections.
Most notably, it is to hand billionaires and their corporations massive
tax breaks while sticking it to working Americans.
We have to ask: Is this a government of the people, by the people,
and for the people? Or is it a government of the billionaires, by the
billionaires, and for the billionaires?
Federal workers don't serve a President or his billionaire buddy. Let
me say that again: Federal workers don't serve a President or his
billionaire buddy. They serve the American people, and we stand with
them.
Mr. IVEY. May I inquire how much time is remaining, Mr. Speaker.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Maryland has 27 minutes
remaining.
Mr. IVEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Oregon (Ms.
Hoyle).
Ms. HOYLE of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of our
Nation's Federal workers.
As a member of the Labor Caucus, I am proud to stand with these
public servants who have dedicated their careers to delivering for the
American people.
This administration has relentlessly attacked these nonpartisan
expert workers who make sure our food is safe to eat, our water is safe
to drink, and our air is safe to breathe.
As a third-generation union member, I am particularly outraged by the
obvious intimidation and union-busting tactics that this administration
has used on these essential workers. However, these actions are not
just an attack on Federal workers. They are an attack on the services
that these hardworking people of my district and this country rely on
every day.
Let's be clear. Firing Federal workers means delays in receiving
Social Security checks and fewer law enforcement officers keeping our
communities safe.
If the Department of Labor doesn't have sufficient personnel, it will
be easier for employers to commit wage theft and workplace safety and
rights violations.
Whom does that benefit?
It is not the American people and not working people. In my district,
we know Federal workers are not lazy or ineffective. They are our
friends, our family, and our neighbors who support us every day. They
get up and they go to work to work for the people of this country and
not for a political party.
Federal workers have had our backs, and I assure them that we have
theirs.
Mr. IVEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from New York (Mr.
Kennedy).
Mr. KENNEDY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I first thank Congressman Ivey
for putting this together here today and for his leadership.
I rise today to stand in unwavering solidarity with the hardworking
men and women of our Federal workforce.
As a member of the Labor Caucus, I am proud to support the public
servants who dedicate their lives to keeping our country running,
including the 8,500 Federal employees who call my district home.
These workers are not faceless bureaucrats. They are the backbone of
our communities. They are our neighbors, and they are our friends. They
process veterans' benefits, ensure Social Security checks go out on
time, make Medicare payments to our seniors' physicians, ensure our air
and water are clean, keep our Nation safe, and much, much more.
Yet, right now, they are under attack from a President who has
outsourced his own power to a billionaire hell-bent on dismantling our
government to serve his own greed.
The administration and so-called Department of Government Efficiency
are purging career professionals, politicizing civil service, and
handing over even more power to the ultrawealthy.
I have been hearing from constituents all week, and this is not what
people in my community and across America want.
They do not want an unelected billionaire who, I might add, has made
billions off taxpayer-funded contracts to actively weaken our
government.
They do not want an unelected billionaire to create a system where
the rules don't apply to him and democracy takes a back seat to his own
profits.
They do not want an unelected billionaire to attack our Federal
workers whose love for our country keeps our communities safe and our
society functioning.
We will not stand by while they buck the rule of law to dismantle the
very institutions that protect hardworking families, seniors, veterans,
and our democracy.
Make no mistake, Mr. Speaker. This is an attack on Federal workers
that will allow those at the highest levels of our government and their
billionaire buddies to exploit the concerns of our
[[Page H489]]
constituents, take power away from the people, and enrich themselves at
the expense of hardworking families in America.
America's civil service is a pillar of our society, and we will
defend it.
I say to the Federal workforce: Thank you for your service. We have
your back. We will fight for your jobs, your dignity, and the services
that millions of Americans rely on.
Mr. IVEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Vermont (Ms.
Balint).
Ms. BALINT. Mr. Speaker, I am here today to stand with our Federal
workers and civil servants and to tell them that we will fight these
illegal actions.
The Trump administration is treating our Federal workforce as if they
are the enemy. These are regular Americans who work important jobs all
over the country, not just in D.C., but in all of our districts.
In fact, 85 percent of the nonpartisan civil servants are spread
around the country. Vermont is home to 8,000 of these Federal workers.
They are part of the 2 million Federal workers who operate our national
parks. They are scientists at the FDA. They work at hospitals, at NASA,
and they protect our national security. In fact, 70 percent work on
behalf of our national security and defense.
I will tell you, Mr. Speaker, I am deeply concerned that the illegal
purge of our civil servants at the Department of Justice and at the FBI
will lead to another 9/11 terrorist attack.
I ask Americans: Do we really want to put our Nation at risk so that
billionaires can get a massive tax cut?
Follow the money. What this is about is firing our Federal workforce
to fund tax cuts for billionaires. Don't be fooled by what is happening
here. It is about the money. Follow the money.
Our Federal workers are civil servants because they are here to serve
the people. They are hired on a nonpartisan basis because they keep our
country running, and they keep us safe.
What is happening is an illegal takeover of our government. By
locking them out of their jobs, firing them illegally, and bullying
them out of a job, Trump and Musk are trying to create chaos and
confusion. It will harm Americans, not just the people who are being
fired illegally, but it will harm all of those Americans in our
districts who seek services from these workers.
None of this is about making our government work better for
Americans. It is a well-worn tactic used by authoritarians and
dictators like Orban in Hungary and Bolsonaro in Brazil. They do it to
destroy government services so that they create chaos and they create
confusion, and then we turn against each other.
This administration is using chaos and cruelty to amass power and
wealth, not for us and not for Americans, but only for them.
{time} 1800
Mr. IVEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr.
Johnson).
Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from
Maryland for yielding. I am here on behalf of the House Labor Caucus,
and I thank the gentleman for convening us today.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of our Nation's Federal
workers, who are under a brutal and heartless assault by Elon Musk and
his co-President, Donald Trump.
A week ago, they sent the now-infamous fork-in-the-road email to 2
million Federal employees, trying to trick them into a quick decision
to retire immediately and receive 8 months of severance pay, which is
false, while threatening that if they refused to retire, their jobs
might be eliminated.
My brothers and sisters, don't fall for the okey doke. Don't retire.
Stay on the job.
Federal workers have rights that protect their jobs. Federal workers
should not be intimidated into retirement. This country needs them to
continue their work. They are professional and highly skilled people,
and we know they work long hours, often under difficult circumstances.
They do so because they believe in the importance of public service.
We will not allow Elon Musk and Donald Trump to replace Federal
workers with people who are willing to kiss Trump's ring rather than
serve their country. Federal workers should stay the course and keep
their eyes on the prize, and House Democrats have their backs.
I thank the Federal workers for their service.
Mr. Speaker, I point out that Elon Musk and President Trump are doing
this with House and Senate Republicans letting it happen. Don't fall
for the okey doke.
Mr. IVEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from California (Mr.
Takano).
Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.
Mr. Speaker, the actions coming out of the White House are shocking,
alarming, and unconstitutional. We have seen an unelected billionaire
attempt to lay off, fire, and purge Federal employees from across the
executive branch. No agency or department is safe, not even the
department taking care of veterans.
As the ranking member of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, I
have been quick to warn employees at the VA not to fall for the recent
attempt from Musk to buy out employees. I have warned VA employees and
providers. Elon Musk thinks they are stupid and won't see through his
deceptive and fraudulent buyout offer.
VA employees should ignore his email and send it to the trash bin.
The Trump administration is playing a dangerous game with their
livelihoods and veterans' lives.
The Department of Veterans Affairs has a mandate to ensure that
veterans with visual, hearing, mobility, and cognitive impairments can
still apply and receive care. The Trump administration put an end to
that mission to reach out to veterans with visual, hearing, mobility,
and cognitive impairments. He put an end to that mission in the fervor
to get rid of diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts in Federal
agencies.
Yes, diversity, equity, and inclusion include veterans with visual,
hearing, mobility, and cognitive impairments. So far, 60 employees with
the mission of reaching out to these very veterans with unique
challenges, to encourage them to apply for VA benefits, have been put
on leave. They have been put on leave. We are talking about veterans
with visual, hearing, mobility, and cognitive impairments.
The Federal hiring freeze initiated on President Trump's first day in
office has left approximately 700 open positions that cannot be filled.
These are 700 opportunities to increase veterans' access to care that
will instead stay unfilled.
What is even more shocking is that my Republican colleagues have
stayed silent while veterans' care is being impacted by DOGE.
Mr. Speaker, I challenge my Republican colleagues who sit idly by to
stand up to the richest man in the world. Stand up to this would-be
autocrat. Stand up to this bloodless coup. Stand up for Federal workers
and your constituents.
Mr. IVEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his words.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Carter).
Mr. CARTER of Louisiana. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for
yielding.
Mr. Chairman, I rise today in strong support of our Nation's Federal
workers. As a proud member of the Labor Caucus, I stand with these
professionals who keep our government running. Their work is vital to
the health, safety, and security of the American people.
Since taking office, President Trump has attacked Federal employees,
seeking to replace nonpartisan civil servants with unqualified
political loyalists. These workers ensure our food is safe, our air and
water are clean, and our veterans are cared for. They process Social
Security benefits, safeguard our airports, and protect our communities.
More than 85 percent of Federal workers serve outside of the National
Capital region, meaning these attacks impact every single congressional
district in our Nation, including mine in New Orleans and the River
Parishes.
Firing Federal workers leads to delays in Social Security payments,
longer VA wait times, and fewer law enforcement officers on the street.
We cannot allow reckless policies to dismantle these vital services.
[[Page H490]]
Trump's administration recently issued a deferred resignation offer,
claiming employees could resign by February 6 and still receive pay
benefits until September 30, 2025. There is no evidence that this is
legal or even real.
Federal employees who accept this offer may face retaliation,
unemployment, and no recourse. This is a calculated effort to weaken
agencies and cut services. Simply put, it is a sham.
We must also oppose Schedule F, which would strip civil service
protections, making employees at will and vulnerable to political
purges. Our government should be staffed by professionals based on
merit, not political loyalty. The American people deserve a government
that works for them and not for some partisan politician.
Finally, Trump's union-busting tactics, including rejecting legally
bargained contracts, cannot stand. The right to collective bargaining
is a fundamental right, and these agreements must be honored.
To all Federal workers: America needs you. The Labor Caucus has your
back, and we will fight for your rights, your jobs, your dignity, and
your livelihood. Stand strong. We are with you. Don't fall for the okey
doke. Know this: We stand with you, and we have your backs.
Mr. IVEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his words.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Maryland (Ms. Elfreth).
Ms. ELFRETH. Mr. Speaker, 44,000 civil servants--hardworking,
qualified, passionate public servants--call Maryland's Third
Congressional District home. In the last week, thousands have reached
out to my office. They were concerned, anxious, and wondering if their
government actually values the work they do on behalf of the American
people.
It is clear that, through the fork-in-the-road email that 2.2 million
Federal employees received in attempts to expand Schedule F, President
Trump and Elon Musk are trying to remove civil servants from the civil
service.
Instead, they want to fill our Federal workforce and put lifesaving
services for the American people in the hands of unqualified political
cronies in a modern-day spoils system.
The irony, of course, is that the civil service was created to avoid
this situation. The Congress recognized that cronyism and corruption
did not serve the American people, and Congress did something in 1883
to create a merit-based civil service system.
Mr. Speaker, on behalf of my constituents, as the proud daughter of
two civil servants, and as a proud member of the Labor Caucus, I stand
here appalled by this administration's changing of the rules on these
workers.
Everyone in my district and every Federal worker in this Nation
should know that House Democrats have their backs.
Mr. IVEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Rhode Island
(Mr. Magaziner).
Mr. MAGAZINER. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend, Mr. Ivey, for
yielding, and I rise today as a proud vice chair of the Congressional
Labor Caucus to stand with the hardworking men and women who keep our
government running.
Federal workers show up every day to serve their neighbors and our
country. These are the workers who make sure that Social Security
checks go out to your parents and grandparents. These are the men and
women who deliver our mail, no matter the weather, and the doctors and
nurses at the VA who provide care to our Nation's bravest.
When Donald Trump and Elon Musk attack these public servants, it
means fewer law enforcement officers working to keep us safe, slower
disaster response for families hit by severe storms, and longer wait
times for Social Security and Medicare.
Attacking these workers is exactly what Donald Trump and his co-
president, Elon Musk, have set out to do. They are attacking air
traffic controllers, postal workers, food inspectors, and people who
keep us safe. Why? To find money to pay for tax cuts for billionaires.
That is right. Their goal here is to line the pockets of the wealthy
off of the backs of working people and the services that all Americans
rely on. These attacks on Federal workers are an attack on all working
people across this country.
I want to tell the Federal workers in Rhode Island and across the
United States that House Democrats stand with you. We see your
dedication. We know the positive impact that you deliver every day. The
best resistance is to keep showing up and to keep doing what you do
best. This country runs because of you.
Here in Congress, we are going to fight to oppose Donald Trump and
Elon Musk's baseless and cruel attacks against those who have devoted
their lives to service.
Mr. IVEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Hawaii (Ms.
Tokuda).
Ms. TOKUDA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in solidarity and with much
aloha for our Nation's Federal workers. As a member of the Labor
Caucus, I am proud to stand with these essential employees who keep our
government running every single day.
Federal workers care for our veterans, keep us safe when we travel,
and make sure our seniors get the Social Security payments that they
need to put food on the table and to survive.
Our Federal workers were also the ones who were first on the scene
when fires ravaged Maui. They saved lives. They provided food and
shelter and replaced documents. They gave our people hope.
Day in and day out, Federal workers are the unseen hands and hearts
that guide our Nation through complex challenges and maintain the
infrastructure and services that underpin daily life. They give our
people hope and help.
When we attack Federal workers, we not only discredit their work, Mr.
Speaker, but we cut off the very hands that are holding us up.
Since taking office, President Trump has made it his number one
priority to undermine and dismantle our Federal workforce. Over the
past 2 weeks, the Trump administration has been bullying Federal
workers to resign while making a hollow promise of paying benefits
through the end of the year. Now, President Trump is threatening mass
layoffs to those who refuse to accept this bogus and deceptive offer.
We have 43,000 hardworking Federal employees in Hawaii. Many of these
civil servants have contacted me to express their anger, frustration,
and fear.
One constituent who spent his entire career with the Department of
Health and Human Services said he had experienced several Presidential
transitions but none as demeaning and demoralizing as this one. Once
committed to a full career in public service, he now wakes up daily
dreading the new abuses and attacks he and his colleagues will face.
Let us be clear: Federal workers are not the problem. They are part
of the solution. They don't make decisions based on political whim.
They don't serve a single master and his billionaire friends. They
serve the people of this country.
The American people deserve a government that works for them, not
against them.
To all the Federal employees in Hawaii and across this country: We
see you. We hear you. We will fight to protect you. Thank you for your
dedication and for your service. You are the quiet force that keeps our
Nation strong. You have always had our backs. Now it is time we have
yours.
{time} 1815
Mr. IVEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Oregon (Ms.
Dexter).
Ms. DEXTER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the Congressman from Maryland for
this opportunity.
Mr. Speaker, I rise as a proud member of the Congressional Labor
Caucus in support of our Federal workers today.
I introduced new legislation earlier today to protect Federal workers
who stand up against Elon Musk's grotesque seizure of critical
government agencies.
My bill, the Stop Musk Act, would prevent retaliation against any
Federal employee who resists illegal or unconstitutional efforts led by
Elon Musk.
In the last week alone, Musk has seized control of the U.S.
Department of the Treasury's payment system, exposing Oregonians'
personal financial information; has shuttered the U.S. Agency for
International Development, USAID, putting the lives of millions of
[[Page H491]]
people at risk; and threatened the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration, otherwise known as NOAA, undermining our work to combat
the climate crisis.
This is just the beginning.
Under this legislation, Federal employees who resist, circumvent, or
prevent Musk's illegal and unconstitutional takeover would be protected
against retaliation for their efforts to fight back.
The world's richest man should not have the power to unilaterally
dismantle the Federal Government and the critical services it provides
Oregonians.
Federal employees are at the forefront of fighting Elon Musk's power
grab, and we must protect them. All week, I, like all my colleagues,
have been hearing from constituents who are demanding action.
Let me be clear: We will use every legislative, judicial, and public
pressure tactic to stop Musk's takeover and protect our workers. This
multifront battle will be fought in the courts, the Halls of Congress,
and in the public sphere. We must stay loud. We must stand tight. We
must press on.
Mr. IVEY. Mr. Speaker, may I inquire as to the time remaining.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Maryland has 2\1/2\
minutes remaining.
Mr. IVEY. Mr. Speaker, a few hours ago, I stood with members of
unions, employees at the Department of Labor, and people walking down
the street who saw what we were doing and wanted to join in and support
the cause.
As I stood out there and spoke in favor of the efforts they were
making to be heard, to protect their jobs and protect their ability to
work for the American people, it reminded me of my father who had
worked in that same building four decades ago until he was forced out
during the Reagan administration.
To my colleagues who were there today, I thank them for joining. To
the employees who were out there, I say this: I lived through what you
are going through right now and I understand. For that reason, I
recommit myself to working hard to protect your rights, to make sure
that you don't get forced out of government, even though you haven't
done anything wrong.
You have the experience and the expertise to do the work that the
American people need, and we want to make sure that you have a chance
to continue to do that.
I thank the Congressional Labor Caucus as well for standing up and
making sure that we continue to fight here in Congress to protect their
rights.
Lastly, I thank all of those people out there, whether they are union
members or attorneys or employees, who are fighting every day to get
their point across and make sure that we are heard by the Trump
administration. Thank you for what you are doing. I urge you to
continue to do the work that you are doing because it is making a
difference.
The Trump administration has made many moves. Many of them have been,
in my view, unlawful and unconstitutional, especially the ones that are
impacting the employee rights that these government employees have
earned over the decades, like my father who joined the Department of
Labor after his service in the Air Force. They deserve to be treated
fairly, with respect, and with recognition of the legal rights that
they deserve to have.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Members are reminded to refrain from
engaging in personalities toward the President and to direct their
remarks to the Chair.
____________________