Elfreth Votes Against Senate Amendment to H.R. 5371

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congresswoman Sarah Elfreth (MD-03) released the following statement on her vote against the Senate Amendment to H.R. 5371.

“As the longest shutdown in history finally comes to an end, I’m grateful federal employees won’t have to worry about their next paycheck, parents who rely on SNAP won’t have to worry about stretching meals for their kids, passengers won’t have to worry about their next flight, and Congress will finally get back to work to deliver for the American people.  

“However, the contours of today’s legislation are no better than where we were at the beginning of this shutdown. In fact, outrageously, this bill includes millions of dollars in cash payouts to Republican Senators. While Republicans take away your health care, they are getting rich with your tax dollars. 

“Since the beginning, I have been clear that any deal needed to address our nation’s health care crisis and prevent out-of-pocket health care costs from skyrocketing for tens of millions of Americans. Instead of engaging in good-faith negotiations to lower costs and protect the health of our communities, Republicans used families who relied on SNAP and our civil servants as political pawns. Despite today’s setback, I will continue the fight to lower health care costs for all Marylanders.

“As was the case in 2019, the law is clear: all federal employees are entitled to receive back pay. This legislation reiterates that policy. However, gaps remain. I urge my colleagues in Congress to look forward and pass legislation to protect those directly impacted by future shutdowns, including ensuring backpay for contractors, pausing student loan payments during shutdowns, and allowing all federal employees access to unemployment insurance.”

Elfreth represents over 45,000 federal employees. During the shutdown, Elfreth introduced the Help Federal Employees During Shutdowns (Help FEDS) Act and the Shutdown Student Loans for Feds Act to alleviate the burden on federal employees. Elfreth stood with federal workers at the BWI airport, pushed back on the President’s illegal withholding of SNAP benefits, and spoke out against the Administration’s lawless mass firings. She held numerous live town halls to hear directly from constituents, both virtually and in person. She withheld her Congressional salary in solidarity with the millions of federal workers going without pay and launched a comprehensive resource guide for Marylanders affected by the government shutdown.

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