January 11, 2019 - Issue: Vol. 165, No. 6 — Daily Edition116th Congress (2019 - 2020) - 1st Session

[Pages H498-H502]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEE FAIR TREATMENT ACT OF 2019

  Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (S. 24) to provide for the compensation of Federal and other 
government employees affected by lapses in appropriations.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                 S. 24

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Government Employee Fair 
     Treatment Act of 2019''.

     SEC. 2. COMPENSATION FOR FEDERAL AND OTHER GOVERNMENT 
                   EMPLOYEES AFFECTED BY A LAPSE IN 
                   APPROPRIATIONS.

       Section 1341 of title 31, United States Code, is amended--
       (1) in subsection (a)(1), by striking ``An officer'' and 
     inserting ``Except as specified in this subchapter or any 
     other provision of law, an officer''; and
       (2) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(c)(1) In this subsection--
       ``(A) the term `covered lapse in appropriations' means any 
     lapse in appropriations that begins on or after December 22, 
     2018;
       ``(B) the term `District of Columbia public employer' 
     means--
       ``(i) the District of Columbia Courts;
       ``(ii) the Public Defender Service for the District of 
     Columbia; or
       ``(iii) the District of Columbia government;
       ``(C) the term `employee' includes an officer; and
       ``(D) the term `excepted employee' means an excepted 
     employee or an employee performing emergency work, as such 
     terms are defined by the Office of Personnel Management or 
     the appropriate District of Columbia public employer, as 
     applicable.
       ``(2) Each employee of the United States Government or of a 
     District of Columbia public employer furloughed as a result 
     of a covered lapse in appropriations shall be paid for the 
     period of the lapse in appropriations, and each excepted 
     employee who is required to perform work during a covered 
     lapse in appropriations shall be paid for such work, at the 
     employee's standard rate of pay, at the earliest date 
     possible after the lapse in appropriations ends, regardless 
     of scheduled pay dates.
       ``(3) During a covered lapse in appropriations, each 
     excepted employee who is required to perform work shall be 
     entitled to use leave under chapter 63 of title 5, or any 
     other applicable law governing the use of leave by the 
     excepted employee, for which compensation shall be paid at 
     the earliest date possible after the lapse in appropriations 
     ends, regardless of scheduled pay dates.''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Maryland (Mr. Cummings) and the gentleman from Montana (Mr. Gianforte) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Maryland.


                             General Leave

  Mr. CUMMINGS. 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 on this measure.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Maryland?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  As we, Mr. Speaker, enter day 21 of the Trump shutdown, it is 
incumbent upon the House to do everything we can to address the pain 
and suffering being felt by dedicated Federal workers who are missing 
their paychecks.
  Most of them are living from paycheck to paycheck, and now they 
approach this day, on Friday, having moved from paycheck to no check.
  Today, 800,000 Federal employees will not receive their first 
paycheck of this new year. Regardless of what Members think about the 
causes of the shutdown, every single one of us should agree that 
hardworking Federal employees who give their blood, their sweat, and 
their tears to lifting us up as a Nation should not be held hostage to 
politics as a result.
  Mr. Speaker, 380,000 Federal employees have been furloughed and 
locked out of their offices. Another 420,000 hardworking Federal 
employees are working without pay.
  We will see them at our airports. We will see them working today and 
tomorrow, as they have been for the last many days, without pay. Some 
even had to cancel already scheduled vacation days or sick leave to 
report to work.
  These 800,000 men and women include personnel at the Federal Aviation 
Administration; the Bureau of Prisons; the Federal Bureau of 
Investigation; the Department of Homeland Security; the Food and Drug 
Administration; and the Departments of Agriculture, Treasury, and 
Justice.
  These are the men and women who keep our country safe, ensure the 
safety of our airports and food, protect our national parks, and, yes, 
keep our economy moving.
  S. 24 would provide back pay to Federal employees furloughed during 
this shutdown and potential future shutdowns.
  The measure also would allow essential employees to use their annual 
leave instead of having to cancel already scheduled and approved 
vacation plans.
  Many Federal employees are suffering. But not only are they 
suffering, Mr. Speaker, their children are suffering. They are in pain; 
they are worried; and they are scared. You see, they have mortgages and 
car loans to pay, day care expenses to cover, and food to put on the 
table.
  And even while they struggle to pay these bills, furloughed employees 
face the stress and anxiety of not knowing whether or not they will be 
paid when the shutdown ends. The least we can do is to relieve that 
uncertainty.
  The President claims that Federal employees support this pointless 
shutdown. He also had the nerve to say: Why don't they just adjust.
  Adjust with what? And how?
  I have not heard from a single Federal employee that they support 
this shutdown. What they want to do is to get back to work serving the 
American people, and what they are saying over and over again is: 
Government, do not hurt us; help us. Do not hurt us; help us.
  So, promising they will receive back pay once the shutdown ends is 
the least that we can do.
  Finally, Mr. Speaker, this bill passed the Senate with every single 
Senator's consent, and President Trump has indicated that he will sign 
it. I urge every Member of the House to do the same and support this 
bill, and let's end this shutdown and get the government open and 
working again.

[[Page H499]]

  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GIANFORTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 24, the Government 
Employee Fair Treatment Act of 2019.
  This bill is a promise to our dedicated civil servants, both those 
forced to the sidelines and those still hard at work without pay.
  When the House Democrats stop using Federal employees' livelihoods as 
a political football to fund the government, including border security, 
paychecks will be issued.
  Mr. Speaker, to my colleagues on the other side of the aisle: We get 
it. You don't like the President. You made your point. It is now time 
to stop messing around.

  We need to fund the government so we can make good on the promise in 
this bill. And let's be clear: This bill does not stop the immediate 
pain of missed paychecks. Under S. 24, Federal employees still do not 
get paid until the funding bills are passed and the government is 
reopened.
  Federal employees will still struggle to find ways to put food on the 
table and make ends meet until the House Democrats agree to negotiate 
in good faith.
  This bill also does not reimburse taxpayers for all the missed 
government services like our national parks and the Indian Health 
Service.
  Every day this shutdown continues, taxpayers are on the hook for 
paying Federal employees for jobs they are legally barred from doing. 
Every day this shutdown continues, Border Patrol agents and other 
Federal employees are forced to work without pay.
  And every day this shutdown continues, many Members of Congress are 
still getting paid. I have instructed the administrative officials with 
the House to withhold my pay until the partial shutdown ends and until 
Border Patrol agents and other Federal employees are paid.
  Members of Congress should not get paid when portions of the Federal 
Government are shut down.
  There are other pieces of legislation that would pay Federal 
employees who are working during this partial shutdown, and there are 
others that would hold Congress accountable for not doing its job.
  I will support the Government Employee Fair Treatment Act, but I urge 
my colleagues on the other side of the aisle: End the games. Get back 
to work. Let's get the job done.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from 
California (Ms. Pelosi), distinguished Speaker of the House.
  Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Cummings for bringing this 
important legislation to the floor in very expeditious time. The Senate 
passed it by unanimous consent yesterday, and here we are today, on the 
first day that some of our Federal employees will miss their paycheck, 
and Congress is saying and guaranteeing that workers will be paid, not 
only for this shutdown but, God forbid, if we have any future ones, 
that their pay will be guaranteed.

                              {time}  1100

  I support the bill. I am glad that it has strong bipartisan support 
as it did in the Senate and that the President has given the impression 
that he will sign the bill.
  It ensures that 800,000 Federal employees who are going without pay 
because of the senseless shutdown will ultimately get the backpay they 
deserve. But it is scarce consolation for these workers who are 
desperate to make ends meet right now. Their paychecks are going to be 
late, but they must pay their bills on time and in full.
  The impact of a missed paycheck is catastrophic in the lives of these 
Americans when they can't pay their mortgage, their rent, their 
utilities, bills, their car payments, children's tuition on time, and 
the list goes on. It affects their credit rating, and it affects the 
credit rating of the United States of America.
  I am particularly concerned about the impact that it has on our 
veterans. A large percentage of the Federal workforce are veterans. 
They have taken their commitment to public service in the military to 
public service on the civilian side. We don't do any favors for our 
friends, our veterans and military families, if we affect their credit 
rating.
  So, today, the press reported that workers are desperately taking to 
the internet to sell some of their household items and other things, 
sometimes at a very reduced price, for just a couple of dollars just to 
pay their bills. This is just not right. It is just not right that we 
would subject people who work, and we say two things to them: come to 
work and don't get paid, or shut them out so they can't come to work. 
And while they are not getting paid, again, thousands of these men and 
women are expected to show up for work.
  Sending these workers their paycheck late is wrong. We keep saying 
that. It is wrong. But since there is a guarantee that they will be 
getting paid, I would hope that the commercial banks, the banks in our 
country, would follow the lead of some of the credit unions by giving 
interest-free loans right now to these families so that they can pay 
their bills on time and they can be respected for the work they do or 
are anticipated to do.
  This shutdown, by the way, is soon to become the longest in history, 
and it is creating chaos in our communities. It fails to have us, the 
government, meet the needs of the American people. We are endangering 
the safety of our food supply and the security of our airlines. The 
eviction of vulnerable families is affected, as is the support of our 
farmers, and for their support systems, as well as food stamps for the 
hungry and tax refunds to the American people, and the ability of the 
IRS to supply information to taxpayers who want to pay their taxes but 
need guidance. It is a needless crisis that is inflicting pain on the 
American people.
  Democrats support effective border security. We honor our oath of 
office to protect and defend, to protect and defend our borders, our 
country, our people, and our Constitution.
  We need to look at the facts.
  According to the DEA--when the President says, ``Oh, we have got to 
stop the drugs coming into the country,'' well, let's look at the 
facts. The DEA says that almost all--90 percent--of illicit drugs 
coming into the country come in through legal ports of entry. If that 
is the President's concern, and it is a legitimate concern that we all 
share, we need to build the infrastructure, increase the size of 
infrastructure of the legitimate ports of entry--those are ports of 
entry for immigration, for trade--and to stop the unwelcome in terms of 
drugs, contraband, and weapons coming into our country. So more 
infrastructure, improve the roads there to facilitate.
  We also need--the technology exists--and we have all committed that 
we would pay whatever it is, $400 million or more, for the technology 
to scan the cars, scan the cars for the drugs and the other contraband. 
So, again, technology is our friend in this, and it is a very 
effective, proven way to protect us from those intrusions.
  We can hire more personnel, which we must do. There are thousands of 
unfilled positions with the Border Patrol. We must have more people to 
do the job there.
  Much of what I am saying here is what the administration--well, the 
Department of Homeland Security--asked for; and we said yes in the 
appropriations bills, and here we are having that fight later.
  We can have more investment in innovation to detect unauthorized 
crossings. We don't need, like the President first described, a 
concrete wall, 30 feet high, paid for by Mexico. Cross out all of the 
above. It is not that.
  But the fact is, spending money on whatever that is that the 
President is describing it now as is an opportunity cost for doing what 
we know will work to secure our border--all of our borders--all of our 
borders.
  There is a humanitarian challenge for us at the border that we have 
to deal with in a way that is consistent with our values but also 
protects our border. What the President is proposing--in fact, he has 
exacerbated the problem with his cruel policies of taking children out 
of the arms of their parents, separating families. The list goes on.
  But to the point of securing the border in a strong, cost-effective, 
values-based way, Democrats have made their proposal. The proposals 
have bipartisan support.

[[Page H500]]

  And let me just say, just before this bill came up on the floor, we 
had the legislation to pass a bill--passed by the Senate--to open up 
the Department of the Interior and related agencies there. We have said 
to the Republicans and to the President that we will accept ideas, good 
ideas, wherever they come from, and these ideas came from the United 
States Senate, controlled by the Republicans up until this new 
Congress. Just within the last month, they controlled that--well, they 
still do control the Senate.
  They put forth legislation on the floor of the Senate in a minibus 
that passed, 92-6. We said: Let's take your language; let's embrace 
your language; let's pass it on the House. And you, once again, pass 
your own language. They won't take yes for an answer.

  That might be part of a legitimate debate, but why do you have to 
shut down government?
  I say to the President: ``Don't you have confidence in your own ideas 
that you have to shut down government to increase your leverage and 
then threaten to take extraordinary measures when the answer is very 
simple?''
  Let's open up government. Let's have a civilized debate, and let's do 
so in a way that honors our values as we protect our borders and meet 
the needs of the American people.
  I urge a ``yes,'' and I am glad that we are going to come out with a 
bipartisan vote.
  And, again, I thank Mr. Cummings for his extraordinary leadership in 
so many ways, most recently, on this legislation.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Ms. Blunt Rochester). Members are reminded 
to refrain from engaging in personalities toward the President.
  Without objection, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Hurd) will control 
the time for the minority.
  There was no objection.
  Mr. HURD of Texas. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Madam Speaker, I thank my friend, the distinguished gentleman from 
the great State of Maryland, for expeditiously bringing this piece of 
legislation to the floor, because this is an important piece of 
legislation that ensures all Federal employees receive backpay once 
this government shutdown is over.
  Last week, while flying back to Washington, I spoke with TSA agents 
who were concerned about their paychecks and the uncertainty created by 
this shutdown. Guaranteeing backpay is the least we can do to give more 
certainty to almost a million Federal employees, including many in my 
district, who are missing their first paycheck today. I understand 
their concerns, because my pay is being withheld during the shutdown in 
solidarity with Federal workers.
  We all need to come together and find a bipartisan and realistic 
solution to reopen the government. If we are going to talk about border 
security, then the brave men and women who are on the ground every day 
securing our border should get paid.
  Border security and immigration have been a contentious issue for a 
long time, but the only way we solve big problems here in Washington is 
by working together. We need to push ``Pause'' on requesting specific 
conditions before talks resume. We need to lay down our swords and be 
willing to find not a Democratic solution nor a Republican solution, 
but a solution for all Americans.
  I urge my colleagues to stand with Federal workers and join me in 
supporting this commonsense piece of legislation, which was passed 
unanimously by the Senate last night.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CUMMINGS. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished 
gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Connolly).
  Mr. CONNOLLY. Madam Speaker, I thank my dear friend from Maryland for 
his leadership. I certainly support this bill to keep our employees 
whole.
  But I must say, when I hear the discussion and when I heard the words 
of our friend and colleague from Montana, I thought: ``Are we rewriting 
history?''
  This isn't about who likes President Trump or who does not. Where is 
the outrage in this body? When do we finally say, ``Enough''?
  We had a bill, a bipartisan bill that passed the Senate. It was ready 
to pass here. The White House had said they would sign it. And because 
four or five rightwing talking heads scared the President of the United 
States, he pulled the plug. Democrats didn't do that. Republicans 
didn't do it. He did it.
  Now you are defending him, enabling him, even when he says, ``I never 
said Mexico would pay for the wall,'' even though we have 212 explicit 
references in the last 3 years in which he said precisely that. And 
meanwhile, because of that focus, which came out of right field, 
800,000 Federal employees and all American citizens are held hostage.
  When do we come together and say, ``Enough''? When do we stand up for 
those Federal employees who are civil servants who serve our 
constituents? And when do we say this shutdown threatens the security 
of the United States?
  It is wrong, and we have had enough. So it is good that we are going 
to keep our Federal employees whole when the shutdown ends, but let's 
come together and make sure this shutdown ends, even at the risk of 
taking on the President of the United States politically. In the last 
analysis, can we not come together and do the right thing for the 
American people.
  Mr. HURD of Texas. Madam Speaker, I am going to continue to reserve 
the balance of my time.
  Mr. CUMMINGS. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished 
gentleman from the State of Maryland (Mr. Raskin).
  Mr. RASKIN. Madam Speaker, I thank the chairman very much.
  Madam Speaker, 800,000 American workers, 800,000 workers in our 
Federal workforce, have either been sent home and furloughed with no 
check or told to report to work with no check, with no payment.
  I have got air traffic controllers living in my district, Madam 
Speaker, who have had to take money out of their kids' 529 college 
funds. They have had to take money out of their own retirement funds in 
order to pay their family bills, and there is a 10 percent penalty for 
doing that. Who is going to pay them back the 10 percent? Is the 
President of the United States going to do that?
  What about my constituents? I have tens of thousands of Federal 
workers. What about my constituents who are being forced to put their 
mortgage on a credit card this month? Who is going to pay them back?
  And what about the dishonor and the humiliation brought on our 
government by this?
  The President of the United States didn't do this to hundreds of 
thousands of workers in Putin's Russia or in Orban's Hungary or in 
Duterte's Philippines. This is our people that he did this to.

                              {time}  1115

  These are our workers, who he sent home with no paycheck. People are 
texting me. They are emailing me their paystubs today, which say zero 
dollars gross, zero dollars net, after having worked 40 or 50 hours 
this week.
  I have scientists in my district who are working on preventing 
outbreaks of E. coli contamination, salmonella, insect infestation of 
our food supply, and they have been told not to go to work.
  Madam Speaker, this is an outright outrage and a scandal. At the very 
least, we can pass, on a unanimous, bipartisan basis, this legislation 
to try to repair the damage by saying that every Federal worker will 
get back every penny that he or she is owed by the United States 
Government.
  We need to make sure that, if this ever happens again, if the 
President ever holds the Federal workforce, the government, and the 
people hostage again, that the Federal workforce will not be the ones 
who have to pay for it. We should pass this immediately, and we should 
reopen the government immediately.
  Mr. HURD of Texas. Madam Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance 
of my time.
  Mr. CUMMINGS. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from 
Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), the distinguished majority leader of this great 
House.
  Mr. HOYER. Madam Speaker, I thank the chairman of the Oversight and 
Reform Committee, Mr. Cummings, and I also thank Mr. Hurd, who, if he

[[Page H501]]

was in the leadership, this shutdown would not be happening, and if he 
were in the leadership, this bill would not be required. I thank him 
for bringing it to the floor with Mr. Cummings. I also thank him for 
his leadership in trying to get this government open.
  Madam Speaker, the 800,000 Federal employees affected by this 
shutdown deserve to know that they will be paid once it ends.
  I was with a veteran at a veterans organization last night who told 
me the highest incident of veteran suicide is brought about by 
financial instability, fear of being unable to pay their bills, fear of 
being unable to support their families, fear of being unable to pay 
their mortgage. That is what this bill is about, to give confidence and 
stability to those who work for us, who work for the American people. 
That is why this bill is coming to the floor.
  I congratulate Senators Warner and Kaine from Virginia, and Senators 
Cardin and Van Hollen from Maryland, for shepherding this legislation 
through the United States Senate.
  Normally, I would be proud to bring this bill to the floor, but none 
of us should be proud that this bill is necessary. No one should have 
to go without a paycheck just because the President thinks he can bully 
Congress into giving him what he wants, taking them hostage in return 
for a ransom of agreeing with him.
  The American people and the hardworking Federal employees who serve 
them should not be held hostage until they give their hard-earned tax 
dollars to pay for an expensive and ineffective border wall for which 
the President promised Mexico would pay.
  So here we are, Madam Speaker, 21 days into what is now the longest 
shutdown in our history, with 800,000 Americans missing their paychecks 
today because of Donald Trump. How shameful, how sad.
  I hope all of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle will join me 
in supporting this bill, and I thank both parties for bringing this 
bill forward. It was a bipartisan bill in the Senate, and I am sure it 
will be a bipartisan bill here, because it is not whether you agree 
with the shutdown, it is whether you agree to being fair to our Federal 
employees. It is about whether you recognize and value the service and 
contribution of our Federal workers.
  I am proud, Madam Speaker, to represent 62,000 Federal employees. I 
am proud to represent them, and I am proud of the work they do. They 
deserve better, frankly, than what they have gotten from the Congress 
over the last 8 years of the Republican majority.
  I made the point a little earlier today that this is a strategy, 
shutting down government. The government was shut down 10 times between 
1981, when I came here, and 1995, an average shutdown of 1.9 days 
because you couldn't reach agreement--it was going back and forth, but 
the government was open--but not a strategy to hold hostage for many, 
many days and weeks our Federal employees until the other side did what 
you told them was absolutely essential for them to do or you were going 
to hold hostages.
  They deserve better than this shutdown, as do the millions of 
Americans impacted by the lack of services provided by these Federal 
employees.
  This bill would provide a permanent solution to this problem, not 
only providing for backpay during this shutdown, but guaranteeing that 
Federal employees will get paid if any future shutdowns occur.
  I might also observe, although it is not in this bill, it will be our 
intention, and I look forward to working with Mr. Hurd on this, that 
there are State, county, and municipal employees also impacted who rely 
on the flow of Federal funds to pay their salaries that we will 
address, hopefully, in the future. I look forward to working with Mr. 
Cummings and Mr. Hurd toward that end.
  Meanwhile, Democrats will keep working. We will keep working to end 
the current shutdown. And I call once more on Leader McConnell and 
President Trump to do their part and reopen the people's government.
  Mr. HURD of Texas. Madam Speaker, I am looking forward to working 
with the distinguished gentleman from Maryland on making sure all 
employees are whole.
  I continue to reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CUMMINGS. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished 
gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Madam Speaker, it is a pleasure to be able to speak 
on the floor, and I thank you for your leadership.
  I thank the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Cummings), chair of the 
Oversight and Reform Committee, for his leadership. I thank my 
colleague from Texas as well.

  I would say only that we can't say it enough. Thank you, Chairman 
Cummings, for saying that they are payless today; they are no check 
today; they are no money today; they are no more money today; they are 
broke today. 800,000 hardworking Federal employees, but they are 
families, small businesses, all of those who work every day to 
contribute.
  As I go home today, I will be meeting with, today and tomorrow, 
Federal employees. I want them to know that my office is open to be 
able to help them, 35,000-plus employees in Texas, Federal employees--
9,000 in the Treasury, 5,700 in Homeland Security, now some 51,000 
screeners--who are not getting their dollars.
  I have to pause for this one. The Coast Guard is not being paid. The 
very people that the President went to the border to celebrate that 
they are trying to stop the multitudes of criminals, most of them under 
10 years old, the Coast Guard on the waters of this Nation, the Coast 
Guard that rescued 1,000-plus in Katrina and that rescued desperate 
Houstonians in Harvey, are not being paid. They are military that is 
not being paid because they are under Homeland Security.
  This bill is crucial to ensure that those hardworking Americans get 
paid; that they can use their personal leave; that no matter what 
happens, they will get reimbursed; and that we will make sure that we 
will not wait on their pay period, but they will get it immediately.
  Right now, it is crucial for us to pass this bill to ensure the 
integrity of all of us.
  Mr. HURD of Texas. Madam Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I 
yield myself the balance of my time to close.
  As the distinguished gentleman from the Commonwealth of Virginia 
said, we should make sure these Federal employees are made whole. These 
are men and women who are making their own sacrifices to ensure that 
our country continues to operate, and I would recognize and suggest to 
all my colleagues to support this piece of legislation that passed 
unanimously last night from the Senate.
  Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. CUMMINGS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Madam Speaker, first of all, I thank the distinguished gentleman, Mr. 
Hurd, for his cooperation in working with us, always approaching these 
issues with a commonsense attitude and always striving for 
bipartisanship. We look forward to working with him and others to 
continue to support our Federal employees.
  As this shutdown drags on, it is wreaking havoc, Madam Speaker, with 
the lives of patriotic Federal workers who just want to get back to 
work, and they need their paycheck.
  Hundreds of dedicated public servants have called my office as this 
shutdown goes on record as one of the longest in history. They are 
worried and anxious about how they will pay their bills.
  For example, the shutdown is having a dire effect on a 30-year 
employee at the IRS whose finances and health are being imperiled. She 
has multiple sclerosis and needs a monthly injection that has a $50 
copay, which she simply cannot afford. She hasn't paid her mortgage, 
and her lender won't give her a break.
  This is not an isolated example. Thousands of Federal employees face 
similar circumstances.
  Madam Speaker, we must end this shutdown and send our Federal 
employees back to work as soon as possible. I urge all Members of the 
House to vote in favor of this legislation.
  Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. WOMACK. Madam Speaker, federal employees should not be harmed by 
Congress's inability to do its work and fund

[[Page H502]]

the government. And while I supported S. 24 for this reason, I have 
serious concerns about the legislation's funding structure.
  Though federal employees are generally paid through discretionary 
accounts, as written and passed, the Government Employee Fair Treatment 
Act of 2019 does not require salaries for furloughed and excepted staff 
to be funded with annual appropriations during a shutdown. This opens 
the door for the creation of new entitlement spending. I do not believe 
this was the legislation's intent, and in the future, I will work with 
my colleagues to provide for these salaries through their appropriate 
discretionary accounts.
  I have consistently expressed concerns about the growth of autopilot 
mandatory spending and its impact on our nation's debts and deficits. 
Rather than perpetuating this problem, we should resolve ourselves to 
fixing the budget and appropriations process to ensure that Congress 
fulfills its duty and government shutdowns and pay for federal 
employees are taken off the table.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of S. 24, the 
``Government Employees Fair Treatment Act,'' which provides for 
retroactive pay for nearly 800,000 federal workers who have been 
furloughed as a result of the government shutdown proudly caused by the 
President of the United States.
  I support this bill because it is the right thing to do.
  The men and women who have been furloughed because of this 
manufactured crisis are not responsible for the `Trump Shutdown'.
  They did not vote to reject the clean continuing resolution passed by 
the Republican Senate but rejected by the President that would have 
resolved the crisis and made this legislation unnecessary.
  The dedicated men and women of the federal civilian workforce, like 
those who serve in the Armed Forces, have not spent their professional 
lives trying to sabotage the Affordable Care Act or conjuring an 
imaginary crisis on the southern border or pursuing policy initiatives 
that harm America's allies and benefit its adversaries, especially 
Russia.
  Instead, these loyal and committed public servants are motivated by 
their paramount interest in serving the American public without fear or 
favor and, for the last 20 days, without any guarantee that they would 
be compensated for their labor.
  And yet, they gladly and willingly serve, some risking their lives to 
keep us safe.
  Others stand watch monitoring weather systems and providing 
information necessary to protect the public from hurricanes and 
tornadoes and wildfires or conducting research to find cures for 
disease or that will yield technological innovations or help us mark 
and measure the far reaches of space.
  Others work to secure the borders and homeland, ensure the safety of 
our food and water, serve our seniors and children, provide training 
and support for those looking for work, and protecting our environment 
and keeping watch over our treasures--our national parks and monuments, 
including this magnificent Capitol where the people have sent us to 
their business.
  Madam Speaker, the men and women of the federal workforce do the 
people's business.
  They serve everyone equally.
  They do not single out some persons to serve and ignore others.
  We should follow their example and the best way to do that is for the 
Senate to pass and the President sign into law the clean continuing 
resolution passed by the House on January 3, 2019; legislation that is 
identical to bill the Senate passed 98-0 in the last Congress.
  That is the best way to keep faith with all persons who serve the 
American people as employees of the federal government, and those who 
depend upon the services they provide.
  Madam Speaker, holding harmless the federal employees who have been 
furloughed by this unnecessary government shutdown is a matter of 
simple justice.
  I urge all Members to join me in voting for S. 24.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Cummings) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, S. 24.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. CUMMINGS. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further 
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.

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