Van Hollen Pledges to Fight Unfair Trump Attacks on Federal Workers

U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) and other Senate Democrats in unveiling "Five Fights for Federal Employees," a proposal to protect current and retired government workers from ideologically motivated attacks from Republicans in Congress and the Trump administration.

This resolution is a statement of principles that Senate Democrats intend to use to fight back against Republican attacks on the federal workforce. These principles include a commitment to defend fair pay and earned benefits, oppose the erosion of essential protections that ensure the professionalism and independence of the civil service, and prevent the outsourcing of essential government functions to private contractors.

"Maryland is home to 120,000 civil servants who work every day to secure our borders, provide Social Security and Veterans benefits, and perform life-saving research. We should be supporting their efforts and looking for ways to strengthen our federal workforce, not tearing them down at every turn," said Senator Van Hollen. "I'm proud to join my colleagues today to say we stand with federal employees and the work they do for all Americans."

"When it comes to federal workers, it's clear that the Trump administration and Republicans in Congress are operating with alternative facts," said Senator Hirono. "We have fewer federal workers than we had 50 years ago, and 85 percent of them work outside the beltway. They keep us safe, inspect our food and medicine, and preserve our national parks. They make a big difference in the lives of the people and communities they serve. I will continue to fight against any attempt the administration makes to deny these public servants the benefits they've earned."

Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Tom Carper (D-Del.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Al Franken (D-Minn.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Richard Durbin (D-Ill.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), and Mark Warner (D-Va.) also cosponsored the resolution.

A number of prominent labor unions and organizations support this proposal, including AFGE, AFSCME, IFPTE, NARFE, NWSEO, and NTEU.