Congressman C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger applauded passage of House legislation approving back pay for furloughed workers affected by the government shutdown this weekend. The House on Saturday unanimously passed the "Federal Employee Retroactive Pay Fairness Act," which was cosponsored by Congressman Ruppersberger and Maryland's entire Democratic delegation. The bill now heads to the Senate.
Congressman Ruppersberger was also among 200 lawmakers to send House Speaker John Boehner a letter urging a vote on a clean government funding bill, known as a continuing resolution, which would immediately reopen the government. The group believes there is enough bipartisan support to pass a funding bill without political riders regarding healthcare reform. Speaker Boehner has declined to bring the legislation to the House floor for a vote.
Economists estimate the shutdown is costing taxpayers $300 million per day, totaling $2.1 billion so far.
"I am hopeful that furloughed workers will eventually get paid -- but let's get them back to work," Congressman Ruppersberger said. "Rather than working together to improve healthcare reform, a group of lawmakers are obsessed with repealing a law that has been upheld by Congress more than 40 times, reaffirmed by our country's highest court and ballot-tested during the most recent election. Taxpayers are now paying the price as are contractors, small business and our national security."
About 800,000 federal workers across the country have been furloughed as a result of the shutdown currently in its seventh day. The furloughs affect the 140,000 federal workers in Maryland at agencies and facilities ranging from Social Security to Fort McHenry. Many other federal workers are currently on the job without knowing when they will get paid.
Congressman Ruppersberger, Ranking Member of the House Intelligence Committee, is particularly concerned about exposure to terrorists and other national security threats. Some intelligence collection and analysis agencies are currently operating with a quarter or less of their civilian employees.