One GOP claim that Vance has pushed is that the Democrats’ version of the spending bill, which seeks to extend subsidies on Affordable Care Act (also known as Obamacare) insurance premiums, would be tantamount to providing free health care to illegal immigrants. Democrats have loudly objected to that accusation, pointing to federal law that prohibits illegal immigrants from receiving coverage under Obamacare, Medicaid, and other federal programs — and the actual text of their version of the continuing resolution.
Donald Trump knows, or at least I think he knows, that current federal law prohibits using taxpayer dollars for undocumented immigrants in connection with their health care. And no one is trying to change or reverse that law,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries told MSNBC over the weekend. “What we are doing is fighting to protect the healthcare of everyday Americans in the midst of this Republican-caused crisis that is devastating hospitals and nursing homes and community-based health clinics.”
During the first eight months of his second presidency, Donald Trump has tried to hollow out the federal workforce by any means possible, including paying more than 200,000 people not to work, disassembling entire agencies via the Department of Government Efficiency, and fighting in court any effort by employees to hang on to their job. This week, Trump could try his most audacious move yet: using a government shutdown to conduct mass firings.
The congressional impasse over spending may now supercharge Trump’s efforts to slash the civil service—just as the bulk of those being paid not to work lose their job when the fiscal year ends. Should the government shut down tomorrow, it could lead to the dramatic winnowing of its size that conservatives have sought for decades. The complexities of collective-bargaining agreements and civil-service protections, not to mention the real-life impact of eliminating people who provide benefits to the public, have stalled past efforts to shrink the government. Trump has shown no inclination to slow down.
I don’t understand how at this point, we as an agency, have no guidance. In my 15 years of working for the government each times shutdown is coming we have multiple conversations about it as well as information. This time, nothing. Not even at the “head” level.
President Trump opposes a government shutdown, and strongly supports the enactment of H.R. 5371, which is a clean Continuing Resolution to fund the government through November 21, and already passed the U.S. House of Representatives. Unfortunately, Democrats are blocking this Continuing Resolution in the U.S. Senate due to unrelated policy demands. If Congressional Democrats maintain their current posture and refuse to pass a clean Continuing Resolution to keep the government funded before midnight on September 30, 2025, federal appropriated funding will lapse.
A funding lapse will result in certain government activities ceasing due to a lack of appropriated funding. In addition, designated pre-notified employees of this agency would be temporarily furloughed. P.L. 116-1 would apply.
The agency has contingency plans in place for executing an orderly shutdown of activities that would be affected by any lapse in appropriations forced by Congressional Democrats. Further information about those plans will be distributed should a lapse occur.
The Hatch Act of 1939, An Act to Prevent Pernicious Political Activities, is a United States federal law that prohibits civil service employees in the executive branch of the federal government, except the president and vice president, from engaging in some forms of political activity. It became law on August 2, 1939.
BLS said Monday that there will be no jobs report released this Friday. 100,000+ Fed employees that accepted the Fork in the Road will be officially terminated tonight at midnight.
There should be major repercussions for sending out that overtly political Email. I've never seen such a thing and I worked for SSA for 46 years. Frank should have to resign for sending that.
The first Trump administration made it clear they didn't care about the Hatch Act, why does anyone think the second will? Absolutely nothing will come of any of it absent a change in control of Congress.
I wonder if the Republican federal employees who voted for this administration are happy now? We are truly living in the Golden Age for the wealthy. Congratulations! 👏
Nothing. It’s the same year after year at SSA, regardless of who is President. Same ole same ole. SSA employees work, or furlough, get paid if they choose to furlough, not charged leave. This practice conditions employees to ask for furlough and shirk their peers who continue to show up for public service.
Lawsuit on replacing federal employees during the shutdown has been filed in court.
Federal government labor unions sued Tuesday to block the Trump administration from conducting mass layoffs during the potential upcoming government shutdown.
Employees are usually temporarily furloughed during a shutdown, except for exempted workers, and receive back pay after a shutdown ends. But Trump and the White House budget office have suggested permanent firings could be on the table if government funding expires at midnight. The lawsuit, filed in federal court in San Francisco, alleges the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) misinterpreted federal law governing shutdowns when it issued a memo suggesting agencies should “use this opportunity” to consider layoffs for programs with lapsed funding and that aren’t priorities of the president.
OMB’s Lapse Memorandum is a partisan attempt to pressure members of Congress to accede to the Trump administration’s demands in negotiations over a CR, and to punish federal employees and the labor unions that represent them if those members of Congress do not surrender to the President’s demands,” the lawsuit states.
It’s not a choice for any employee. Some people are told to stay home by management. Others, generally the public facing people have to show up without pay to create the illusion that everything is normal. All leave us canceled, no matter what your situation and if you get sent home you have 24 hours to report for duty when it reopens or you are AWOL.
If SSA's plan is accurate that means 6,000 plus SSA employees are at risk of being riffed. But no matter what these 6,000 employees are at risk to be removed even with a budget. Sad times for SSA.
39 comments:
This should be called the Epstein and jobs report shutdown. Shameful!
One GOP claim that Vance has pushed is that the Democrats’ version of the spending bill, which seeks to extend subsidies on Affordable Care Act (also known as Obamacare) insurance premiums, would be tantamount to providing free health care to illegal immigrants. Democrats have loudly objected to that accusation, pointing to federal law that prohibits illegal immigrants from receiving coverage under Obamacare, Medicaid, and other federal programs — and the actual text of their version of the continuing resolution.
Donald Trump knows, or at least I think he knows, that current federal law prohibits using taxpayer dollars for undocumented immigrants in connection with their health care. And no one is trying to change or reverse that law,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries told MSNBC over the weekend. “What we are doing is fighting to protect the healthcare of everyday Americans in the midst of this Republican-caused crisis that is devastating hospitals and nursing homes and community-based health clinics.”
Keep electing clowns to Congress and the white (gold?) house, and you’re going to keep getting a corcus
During the first eight months of his second presidency, Donald Trump has tried to hollow out the federal workforce by any means possible, including paying more than 200,000 people not to work, disassembling entire agencies via the Department of Government Efficiency, and fighting in court any effort by employees to hang on to their job. This week, Trump could try his most audacious move yet: using a government shutdown to conduct mass firings.
The congressional impasse over spending may now supercharge Trump’s efforts to slash the civil service—just as the bulk of those being paid not to work lose their job when the fiscal year ends. Should the government shut down tomorrow, it could lead to the dramatic winnowing of its size that conservatives have sought for decades. The complexities of collective-bargaining agreements and civil-service protections, not to mention the real-life impact of eliminating people who provide benefits to the public, have stalled past efforts to shrink the government. Trump has shown no inclination to slow down.
You’re giving actual clowns a bad name. 🤡
Unfortunately, this may be the perfect opportunity for this administration to shrink the size of the government footprint even more.
I don’t understand how at this point, we as an agency, have no guidance. In my 15 years of working for the government each times shutdown is coming we have multiple conversations about it as well as information. This time, nothing. Not even at the “head” level.
This exactly…just dead silence all day
exactly. nearly 2 PM and radio silence.
All managers call is scheduled for 330 est today.
I believe JD Vance and Adolf Hitler- er Donald Trump- would merely say they’re presenting alternative facts.
You Americans are so stupid.
A Message to All SSA Employees
Subject: Planning for Potential Lapse in Funding
President Trump opposes a government shutdown, and strongly supports the enactment of H.R. 5371, which is a clean Continuing Resolution to fund the government through November 21, and already passed the U.S. House of Representatives. Unfortunately, Democrats are blocking this Continuing Resolution in the U.S. Senate due to unrelated policy demands. If Congressional Democrats maintain their current posture and refuse to pass a clean Continuing Resolution to keep the government funded before midnight on September 30, 2025, federal appropriated funding will lapse.
A funding lapse will result in certain government activities ceasing due to a lack of appropriated funding. In addition, designated pre-notified employees of this agency would be temporarily furloughed. P.L. 116-1 would apply.
The agency has contingency plans in place for executing an orderly shutdown of activities that would be affected by any lapse in appropriations forced by Congressional Democrats. Further information about those plans will be distributed should a lapse occur.
Frank J. Bisignano
Commissioner
That email (which apparently went out at other agencies) is a hatch act violation and a disgrace
I’ve never seen such a political email from any commissioner before. Shameful.
How times have changed. Frankie got his Republican talking points this morning.
They've essentially all been that way since Acting Gauleiter Dudek was installed.
The Hatch Act of 1939, An Act to Prevent Pernicious Political Activities, is a United States federal law that prohibits civil service employees in the executive branch of the federal government, except the president and vice president, from engaging in some forms of political activity. It became law on August 2, 1939.
So any word on what happens to the furloughed SSA employees? Is it furlough or fired via RIF?
I haven’t seen an email that embarrassing since Leland was commissioner.
NOBODY CARES! Sigh
that email is coming from the white house, probably stephen miller. a friend who works for hhs got the exact same note, word for word.
I don’t think he got talking points, I think he got a verbatim script.
Bisignano is such a twat
Everyone should be very scared right now. That e-mail sends chills down my spine.
You can (and should!) file anonymously: https://osc.gov/Services/Pages/HatchAct-FileComplaint.aspx
There is no bottom.
BLS said Monday that there will be no jobs report released this Friday. 100,000+ Fed employees that accepted the Fork in the Road will be officially terminated tonight at midnight.
There should be major repercussions for sending out that overtly political Email. I've never seen such a thing and I worked for SSA for 46 years. Frank should have to resign for sending that.
The first Trump administration made it clear they didn't care about the Hatch Act, why does anyone think the second will? Absolutely nothing will come of any of it absent a change in control of Congress.
I wonder if the Republican federal employees who voted for this administration are happy now? We are truly living in the Golden Age for the wealthy. Congratulations! 👏
I guess the Hatch Act no longer matters.
Exactly. But this kind of s**t can lead to impeachment if Congress flips. So don’t sit the next election out!
Nothing. It’s the same year after year at SSA, regardless of who is President. Same ole same ole. SSA employees work, or furlough, get paid if they choose to furlough, not charged leave. This practice conditions employees to ask for furlough and shirk their peers who continue to show up for public service.
I've been through these shutdowns for 3 decades. Nothing new. Provides opportunities to bash one party or the other. It will all pass.
Lawsuit on replacing federal employees during the shutdown has been filed in court.
Federal government labor unions sued Tuesday to block the Trump administration from conducting mass layoffs during the potential upcoming government shutdown.
Employees are usually temporarily furloughed during a shutdown, except for exempted workers, and receive back pay after a shutdown ends. But Trump and the White House budget office have suggested permanent firings could be on the table if government funding expires at midnight.
The lawsuit, filed in federal court in San Francisco, alleges the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) misinterpreted federal law governing shutdowns when it issued a memo suggesting agencies should “use this opportunity” to consider layoffs for programs with lapsed funding and that aren’t priorities of the president.
OMB’s Lapse Memorandum is a partisan attempt to pressure members of Congress to accede to the Trump administration’s demands in negotiations over a CR, and to punish federal employees and the labor unions that represent them if those members of Congress do not surrender to the President’s demands,” the lawsuit states.
It’s not a choice for any employee. Some people are told to stay home by management. Others, generally the public facing people have to show up without pay to create the illusion that everything is normal. All leave us canceled, no matter what your situation and if you get sent home you have 24 hours to report for duty when it reopens or you are AWOL.
If SSA's plan is accurate that means 6,000 plus SSA employees are at risk of being riffed. But no matter what these 6,000 employees are at risk to be removed even with a budget. Sad times for SSA.
Shut it all down, NOW!
Who are the 149 SSA employees who continue to get pay checks during the shutdown? Data from NYT article.
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