Durbin Delivers Speech At American Federation Of Government Employees Breakfast
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today delivered remarks at the American Federation of Government Employees’ (AFGE) annual legislative breakfast. Durbin’s speech comes in the wake of the Trump Administration’s concerted attack on federal agencies and employees. On January 28, the Trump Administration sent a “deferred resignation” offer to more than two million federal employees, claiming that if employees resigned by February 6, they could stay on the federal payroll until September 30 and be placed on administrative leave during that time—even though funding forthe federal government only runs through March 14. That “offer”—along with several other ill-conceived attempts on the part of the Trump Administration to intimidate the federal workforce and overstep its authority—has been temporarily halted by a U.S. District Court judge.
“Federal employees in D.C., in Illinois, and across the nation are vital to the fabric of American life. But the Trump Administration seems to be determined to dismantle the agencies and services that government employees have dedicated their careers to. This is not a political game. These reckless decisions harm our federal employees, their families, and Americans,” said Durbin.
Further, President Trump has effectively shuttered the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), retaining only 600 staff out of an estimated 10,000 employees worldwide. Last week, Durbin joined a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, expressing concern about the growing chaos and dysfunction at the U.S. Department of State and President Trump’s illegal attempt to shutter USAID. Durbin also led a letter to EPA Administrator Zeldin regarding efforts to oust probationary employees at the agency.
Established in 1932, AFGE is the nation’s largest federal employee union, representing more than 800,000 federal employees and D.C. government workers in agencies such as the Bureau of Prisons, Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Defense, NASA, and more.
-30-