Maryland leaders gathered at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) Wednesday morning, doubling down on their commitment to supporting Maryland’s federal workers as the federal government shutdown reaches its eighth day.
The press conference was held by members of Maryland’s Congressional Delegation, including Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, Sen. Chris Van Hollen, Sen. Angela Alsobrooks, Rep. Sarah Elfreth, Rep. Kweisi Mfume and Rep. John Sarbanes.
The shutdown began Oct. 1 after Congress failed to reach a deal to approve new funding.
During a government shutdown, federal agencies halt nonessential functions. Each agency decides which employees are essential.
Maryland is providing ongoing support to federal workers who are furloughed or in essential positions but are having their paychecks delayed until Congress approves more spending.
“I want to be clear that here in Maryland and here in the State House, we will continue to do everything in our power to protect our people,” Gov. Moore said Wednesday.
By law, federal employees are entitled to back pay once a funding agreement is reached, though this does not apply to independent contractors who sell goods or services to the U.S. government.
However, on Tuesday, President Trump suggested some federal workers may not receive back pay following the shutdown — contradicting a law he signed during his first term that guarantees all federal employees will be repaid once the government reopens.
Maryland aiding federal workers
Gov. Moore has been adamant about his commitment to providing assistance to federal workers in Maryland, which is home to more than 160,000 federal civilian jobs and about 225,000 jobs supported by federal contracts, according to the governor’s office.
Last week, Moore said that he had directed state agencies to “use contingency plans” to keep critical services running, including federal programs such as Medicaid, SNAP and Head Start.
He added that Maryland is protecting veterans’ access to essential services and shielding federal workers from eviction, foreclosure, and utility shutoffs by coordinating with the private sector.
According to the governor, the state’s emergency resource website has received more than 45,000 views in one week. The Maryland Department of Labor has received 830 new unemployment insurance claims from federal employees since the shutdown began, the governor said.
On Tuesday, the state launched a loan program for essential employees impacted by the shutdown.
The program offers a one-time, no-interest loan of $700 to help workers meet expenses, including rent and groceries.
Why is the government shut down?
Democrats and republicans failed to reach an agreement to extend government funding before the fiscal year deadline on October 1.
Republicans proposed keeping government funding at current levels through November 21 to give lawmakers more time to finalize full-year spending bills. Democrats countered with a plan to extend funding only through October, adding provisions related to health care and limits on President Trump’s authority to withhold funds.
On Wednesday, the Senate is holding a sixth round of procedural votes on dueling measures to fund the government and end the shutdown.