Jeffries rejects Republican bill giving shutdown pay to troops, federal workers

"Driving the news: Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) placed the Shutdown Fairness Act on the Senate calendar last week, teeing it up for a vote as soon as this week. The bill would allow government funding to go to providing backpay and ongoing wages to military servicemembers and essential federal workers. Thune has signaled he wants to put the bill up for a vote in part to squeeze Senate Democrats after they voted down a different military pay bill last week."

""It's my understanding that that is not a comprehensive bill that actually is designed to reopen the government while at the same time addressing the issues that need to be confronted," Jeffries said at a press conference. "It's not legislation that I support," he continued, "because it appears to be more like a political ploy to pick and choose giving Donald Trump discretion which employees should be compensated." "All employees should be compensated. And that will happen when we reopen the government," he said."

Senate Majority Leader John Thune placed the Shutdown Fairness Act on the Senate calendar, teeing it up for an imminent vote, and House GOP leadership indicated the bill would be brought to a House vote if the Senate passes it. The bill would authorize funds to provide backpay and ongoing wages to military servicemembers and essential federal workers, but would exclude employees who were furloughed. Democrats oppose the measure as incomplete and politically selective, arguing it grants the president discretionary power to choose which employees receive compensation. Democrats also contend the administration diverted Pentagon research funding to pay the military and enacted mass layoffs beyond routine furloughs, actions described as illegal overreach.

Read at Axios