To: The United States House of Representatives and The United States Senate
Don't make contractors suffer for Trump's shutdown!
Lower wage, federal contract service workers―including food service, janitorial and security workers―who were furloughed should receive back-pay for the time of the shutdown. It is unacceptable that dedicated workers are paying the costs for an occupant of the White House who prioritizes a racist and xenophobic hate wall over serving the people of this country. Tell Congress to support The Fair Compensation for Low-Wage Contractor Employees Act of 2019.
Why is this important?
Trump is responsible for the longest government shutdown in our nation's history, and while federal workers saw some reprieve getting back-pay, millions of lower-wage hourly federal contract workers who were furloughed have no guarantee of back-pay for the time they were unable to work. The contractors were expected to go into debt in their paid time off or were simply without work and pay for weeks on end.
As a former hourly hotel worker, I understand all too well the reality of living paycheck to paycheck and the struggle to make ends meet. This shutdown has further exacerbated these challenges for the millions of lower-wage service workers and their families across the country who have had to take on second and third jobs just to keep the bills paid and food on the table.
This is unacceptable, because this primarily affects women, people of color, immigrants, and low-income folks. Furloughed federal government contract service workers should not have to pay, feel financial strain, and worry about their very livelihood because of the government was held hostage to promote ineffective, racist policies.
I introduced The Fair Compensation for Low-Wage Contractor Employees Act of 2019 in the House of Representatives (H.R. 678) in partnership with Representative Holmes-Norton (D-DC) along with fellow co-sponsors Representatives Don Beyer (D-VA), Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), Yvette Clarke (D-NY), Gerry Connolly (D-VA), Jesus "Chuy" Garcia (D-IL), Alcee Hastings (D-FL), Steven Horsford (D-NV), Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), Joe Kennedy III (D-MA), Barbara Lee (D-CA), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Gwen Moore (D-WI), Seth Moulton (D-MA), Jerry Nadler (D-NY), Joe Neguse (D-CO), Don Norcross (D-NJ), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), Ilhan Omar (D-MN), Mark Pocan (D-WI), Kathleen Rice (D-NY), John Sarbanes (D-MD), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), Bobby Scott (D-VA), Terri Sewell (D-AL), Albio Sires (D-NJ), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), Lori Trahan (D-MA), David Trone (D-MD), Jeff Van Drew (D-NJ), Nydia Velasquez (D-NY), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ).
This is the companion bill to S. 162, introduced by Sen. Tina Smith (D-MN), which was introduced in the Senate and has 36 sponsors currently.