Elfreth Dedicates First Floor Speech to Federal Workers

WASHINGTON, DC – Yesterday, Congresswoman Sarah Elfreth (MD-03), a member of the Labor Caucus, delivered her first floor speech as a member of Congress. She dedicated her remarks to the 44,000 federal workers in Maryland’s Third District, including the thousands who have reached out to her office with concerns about President Trump and Elon Musk’s attempts to gut the civil service.

CLICK HERE or the image below to view Elfreth’s full remarks.

Congresswoman Sarah Elfreth

Remarks as Delivered

Floor Speech on Behalf of Federal Workers 

February 5th, 2025

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. 44,000 civil servants—hardworking, qualified, passionate public servants—call Maryland’s 3rd Congressional District home. 

And in the last week, thousands have reached out to my office concerned, anxious, and wondering if their government actually values the work they do on behalf of the American people. 

It’s clear that through the fork-in-the-road email that 2.2 million federal employees received, in an attempt to expand Schedule F, that President Trump and Elon Musk are trying to remove civil servants from the civil service. 

Instead, they want to fill our federal workforce and put life-saving services for the American people in the hands of political, unqualified political cronies in a modern-day spoils system. 

The irony, of course, is that the civil service was created to avoid this situation. The Congress recognized that cronyism and corruption did not serve the American people and did something in 1883 to create a merit-based civil service system. 

So, Mr. Speaker, on behalf of my constituents, as the proud daughter of two civil servants, and as a proud member of the Labor Caucus, I stand here appalled by this Administration’s changing of the rules on these workers. 

I’d like my district—everyone in my district—and every federal worker in this nation to know that House Democrats have your back. And with that, I yield my time.

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