House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries apparently thinks taking a stand for federal employees and service members means calling a bill that does exactly that, a “political ploy.”
Senate Majority Leader John Thune placed the Shutdown Fairness Act on the calendar, and it should come up for a vote as the shutdown enters its fourth week. The measure would provide backpay and ongoing wages to military servicemembers and essential federal workers who have not been furloughed. Seems like something Democrats should jump on because they claim to support our troops and federal workers. But a reporter asked him whether he would encourage his Democratic colleagues to support the legislation, Jeffries dismissed the bill as inadequate.
“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 on behalf of the American people, which include lowering the high cost of living and decisively addressing the Republican healthcare crisis,” Jeffries said. The minority leader’s response signals that Democrats remain dug in on their demands for a broader package that includes extensions of Affordable Care Act tax credits, which are set to expire at the end of the year.