Terminated federal workers, aided by some contractors, have organized protests inside the Capitol to advocate for their jobs and express their experiences. This grassroots movement, which began in late February, aims to counteract the shrinking federal workforce under the Trump administration and Elon Musk's influence. Among them was Lexi Smith from the FDA, who learned of her job loss at 5 a.m. on the day of the protest. The reactions from senators were split, with Democratic lawmakers generally offering support and recognition to the protesting workers.
"I came here because I don't know what else to do... I'm going to come tell my story to stand up for myself."
"Most Democrats who walked by the group stopped to listen, share encouragement and thank the workers for their service."
"The grass-roots lobbying effort on Capitol Hill... is the latest attempt by civil servants to push back as the Trump administration... work to cull the ranks of the federal work force."
"Among the fired workers at the Dirksen Building on Tuesday was Lexi Smith... who learned at 5 a.m. that she would lose her job as part of mass layoffs."
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