Cortez Masto Introduces Legislation to Protect Federal Workers and Their Families from Financial Hardship During Shutdown

Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) joined a group of 18 senators, led by U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), in introducing the Federal Employee Civil Relief Act. The legislation would protect federal workers, federal contractor employees, and their families from foreclosures, evictions, and loan defaults during a government shutdown.

"Missing even one paycheck can put immense stress on federal employees and their families, including young children," said Senator Cortez Masto. "These public servants are not responsible for Washington's dysfunction, and they should not lose their homes or suffer long-term financial consequences because the government has shut down."

The Federal Employee Civil Relief Act addresses the threat of federal workers and contractors losing their homes, falling behind on student loans and other bills, having their car repossessed, or losing their health insurance because they have been furloughed during a shutdown or required to work without pay.

The Federal Employee Civil Relief Act would protect impacted workers from:

• Being evicted or foreclosed;
• Having their car or other property repossessed;
• Falling behind on their student loan payments;
• Having negative effects on their credit history;
• Falling behind on paying their bills; or
• Losing their insurance because of missed premiums.

The protection would last during and 30 days following a shutdown to give workers a chance to keep up with their bills. The government shutdown, now in its second week, impacts thousands of federal workers and federal contractor employees in all 50 states.

The Federal Employee Civil Relief Act is supported by the National Treasury Employees Union, International Federal of Professional and Technical Engineers, National Federation of Federal Employees-IAM, American Federation of Government Employees, National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association, UNITE HERE, LIUNA (Laborers' International Union of North America), and the Transport Workers Union.

Senator Cortez Masto has consistently supported federal workers in Nevada and throughout the country, especially when they are threatened by a government shutdown. Last week, she introduced legislation to allow federal contractors to withdraw funds from their retirement savings penalty-free during a government shutdown. She also cosponsored legislation to allow federal workers to withdraw funds from their Thrift Savings Plan accounts without penalties during a shutdown. She has called on the Trump administration to stop its indiscriminate firing of federal workers across multiple agencies, including the Department of Health and Human Services, the U.S. Forest Service, the National Nuclear Security Administration, and the Department of Veterans Affairs.

###