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Schumer pushes for bill to protect furloughed workers financially during government shutdown – Metro US

Schumer pushes for bill to protect furloughed workers financially during government shutdown

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Sen. Chuck Schumer is pushing for a new bill that would protect furloughed federal workers from being evicted and facing penalties for falling behind on bills during the partial government shutdown.

As the government shutdown (in its 31st day as of Monday, Jan. 21) continues, federal workers soon face another payday without a paycheck.

Schumer, the U.S. Senate minority leader, outlined the new bill on Sunday. Called the Federal Employee Civil Relief Act, it would safeguard federal workers from being evicted or foreclosed, having their car or other property repossessed, falling behind on student loan payments, falling behind on paying bills or losing insurance because of missed premiums.

“Across New York City and Long Island thousands of people and their families continue to suffer through a needless government shutdown that has absolutely nothing to do with the federal agencies they so diligently serve,” Schumer said in a statement. “Their bills are piling up and their worry for how they will pay their rent, mortgage, car payment, student loan, as well as other bills just keeps growing with each passing day.”

“That is why, amidst another push to open the government, I am fighting with my colleagues for necessary financial protections for impacted federal workers during this shutdown and for workers of any future shutdown,” he added, “because no federal public servant should have their financial well-being held hostage by a President unwilling to simply open the government in the middle of a debate.” 

The Federal Employee Civil Relief Act was introduced by Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) and co-sponsored by Schumer along with 24 other senators, all of whom are Democrats.

This bill is modeled, according to Schumer’s office, after the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, enacted in 2003 and designed to ease the financial burdens faced by servicemen during times of their military service.

The government shutdown is affecting more than 800,000 federal workers across the country. Almost two-thirds of these federal workers “likely have less than two weeks of expenses set aside to live,” according to New York Times research based on the 2013 government shutdown.

Schumer, Trump and the government shutdown: What next?

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Along with pushing for the passing of the Federal Employee Civil Relief Act, Schumer says he will continue to urge President Donald Trump to open the government.

Trump on Saturday proposed a deal to end the government shutdown by providing temporary protection for young undocumented immigrants, known as Dreamers, and immigrants who fled disaster zones who have temporary protected status (TPS), in exchange for $5.7 billion in funding for the border wall.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has already rejected the proposal. Schumer also criticized the option, saying in a statement that “It was the President who single-handedly took away DACA and TPS protections in the first place — offering some protections back in exchange for the wall is not a compromise but more hostage taking.”

Majority Leader Mitch McConnell plans to put the proposal to a Senate vote on Tuesday.