AFGE President calls shutdown a “Christmas gift to America’s adversaries and a lump of coal in the stockings of the American people.”
(Washington, D.C.) – The AFGE National President Everett Kelley released the following statement in response to “efforts led by the private individuals appointed by the president-elect to make the government more efficient to scuttle a bipartisan deal to keep the government open and instead shut the government down and force hundreds of thousands of federal employees, veterans, and active-duty service members to work during the holidays without a paycheck”:
“The prospect of a lengthy government shutdown is nothing short of a Christmas gift to America’s adversaries and a lump of coal in the stockings of the American people.
“America’s adversaries are eager to exploit any instability in our democratic system, and this type of dysfunction and disarray emboldens those adversaries at a dangerous moment globally.
“Likewise, a government shutdown would deliver a devastating blow to hardworking federal employees and the millions of citizens who rely on essential government services. These patriotic civil servants are the backbone of our nation—they inspect our food, protect our borders, ensure safe travel during the holidays, and provide relief to disaster victims. Over 642,000 of them are veterans of our armed services. Allowing them to go without a paycheck over the holidays is unacceptable.
“Our members have a clear and urgent message for Congress: Stop jeopardizing our livelihoods and the critical services we provide to the American people. Do your job, put the needs of the country first, and keep the government running.”