The White House warned Tuesday that federal employees furloughed during the Democrat-led shutdown are not guaranteed back pay.
The move increases pressure on Senate Democrats to end the weeklong standoff, which has left up to 750,000 workers without pay. A White House Office of Management and Budget memo claims the Government Employee Fair Treatment Act (GEFTA), signed by Trump during his first term, is “deficient” and does not guarantee automatic back pay for federal workers after a shutdown.
“Does this law cover all these furloughed employees automatically? The conventional wisdom is: Yes, it does. Our view is: No, it doesn’t,” a senior White House official said.
President Trump and congressional Republicans are pushing to fund the government through a stopgap continuing resolution that excludes the enhanced Obamacare subsidies, which are set to expire at year’s end.
“This would not have happened if Democrats voted for the clean CR,” a senior administration official told Axios.
The Trump White House argues that GEFTA only required back pay for “obligations incurred” during the 2019 shutdown, with one official stating: “If it [GEFTA] was self-executing” in future shutdowns, “why did Congress do that? It’s precedent.”
Not all are in agreement with the White House’s interpretation, such as Sam Berger, a senior fellow at the Center for Policy and Budget Priorities.
“The law here is quite clear,” said Berger. “The caveat is, if you follow the law.”
Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) told Breitbart News that taxpayers are spending $400 million a day on furloughed federal workers during the Democrat-led shutdown.
“Make no mistake – the Schumer Shutdown is hitting Americans where it hurts the most – their wallets. Every day Democrats drag this on, taxpayers will foot a $400 million bill for 750,000 non-essential bureaucrats NOT to work,” the Hawkeye State conservative said.
