Susan Collins Slams Trump Administration Over Layoffs

"the Senate Appropriations Committee chair warned that arbitrary layoffs would harm government operations already strained by the shutdown, which has been in effect since Oct. 1. I strongly oppose OMB Director Russ Vought's attempt to permanently lay off federal workers who have been furloughed due to a completely unnecessary government shutdown caused by Senator [Chuck] Schumer [D-NY], Collins wrote. Regardless of whether federal employees have been working without pay or have been furloughed, their work is incredibly important to serving the public, she added."

"Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) became the first senior Republican to openly rebuke White House budget chief Russ Vought's decision to begin mass layoffs of federal workers, amid the ongoing government shutdown. Her comments followed Vought's Friday morning announcement on X that reductions-in-force across federal agencies had begun a rare step during a shutdown, when furloughed employees are typically reinstated once funding is restored. A spokesperson for the budget office told The Associated Press on Friday that the layoffs are substantial, without providing further numerical details"

Senator Susan Collins became the first senior Republican to criticize OMB Director Russ Vought for initiating mass layoffs of federal workers amid the ongoing government shutdown that began Oct. 1. Collins warned that arbitrary, permanent reductions would harm government operations already strained by the shutdown and emphasized the importance of federal employees’ work whether they are furloughed or working without pay. Vought announced reductions-in-force across agencies on X, a rare move during a shutdown when furloughed employees are typically reinstated after funding is restored. A budget office spokesperson said the layoffs are substantial but gave no numerical details. The White House emphasized the president takes no joy in firing workers, though the president joked about layoffs on social media.

Read at www.mediaite.com