By Mary Mobley
Copyright dailysignal
As the federal government closes shop, some agencies are offering their employees optional out-of-office email templates blaming Democrats for the shutdown.
“I am out of office for the foreseeable future because Senate Democrats voted to block a clean federal funding bill,” reads the Small Business Administration’s template, issued by HR to employees Wednesday morning.
“Every day that Senate Democrats continue [to] oppose a clean funding bill, they are stopping an estimated 320 small businesses from accessing $170 million in SBA-guaranteed funding,” the email continues.
A spokesperson for the SBA told The Daily Signal the language was optional and that no employees had been directed or instructed to use the template.
As a result of the government shutdown, an estimated 1,456 SBA employees—23% of the agency’s overall workforce—have been furloughed until the Senate can reach an agreement on further government funding.
The SBA isn’t the only agency that’s sent an email template to its employees.
The Department of Health and Human Services Wednesday circulated a template for furloughed employees reading, “The House of Representatives passed H.R. 5371, a clean continuing resolution. Unfortunately, Democratic senators are blocking its passage in the Senate, which has led to a lapse in appropriations. Due to this lapse, I am currently in furlough status and unable to respond to emails…”
Other agencies are displaying similar messages on department websites.
“Democrats have shut down the government,” reads a banner on the official Department of Justice website. “Department of Justice websites are not currently regularly updated.”
“The Radical Left in Congress shut down the government,” reads the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s website. “HUD will use available resources to help Americans in need.”
The shutdown began 12 a.m. Wednesday after the Senate failed to agree on a bill to extend government funding—and it’s set to continue until the parties can come to an understanding. Until then, roughly 750,000 government employees will be furloughed—costing an estimated $400 million in back pay per day once the government reopens.
