Maryland’s Congressional Democrats Rally for Federal Workers

October 27, 2025

Two Maryland Democratic senators are leading efforts to protect federal workers affected by a government shutdown. Chris Van Hollen has introduced legislation backed by over twenty senators that would guarantee back pay for federal employees and service members who missed paychecks due to the shutdown. Meanwhile, Senator Angela Alsobrooks is supporting multiple bills aimed at ending furloughs for workers in funded agencies and preventing mass layoffs through Reduction in Force orders.

Who is affected

Federal workers nationwide who lost paychecks during the government shutdown
Military servicemembers
Federal contractors
Federal workers in government agencies that are currently funded
Federal workers facing potential mass layoffs from Reduction in Force (RiF) orders
Americans who depend on federal services like Social Security and cancer research

What action is being taken

Senator Chris Van Hollen is sponsoring legislation to ensure back pay for federal workers who lost paychecks (with support from more than 20 senators)
Both Van Hollen and Alsobrooks are supporting legislation to end furloughs for federal workers in funded agencies and prevent mass layoffs from RiF orders
The senators are advocating for federal workers and pushing back against efforts by President Trump and congressional Republicans

Why it matters

This matters because federal workers and servicemembers are being financially punished for a shutdown they did not cause, and the legislation aims to ensure they receive compensation for their service. The issue extends beyond partisan politics because federal workers provide essential services to all Americans regardless of political affiliation, including critical functions like Social Security distribution and medical research. The senators are working to prevent the politicization of the civil service and protect workers from being treated as "winners and losers" based on perceived political affiliations.

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: The Washington Informer