WASHINGTON — The federal government shutdown is approaching the second longest in U.S. history; however, Maryland lawmakers haven’t been idle as its members have often been front and center while parties spar over health care, rescissions and federal workers.
“Democrats want to reopen the government, but we will not be a rubber stamp for this administration as they ignore bipartisan congressional funding priorities and attack federal workers — or sit idly by as they let health care costs skyrocket for millions of Americans,” Sen. Chris Van Hollen told The Baltimore Sun in a statement.
For Democratic members, in particular, it’s been a flurry of activity. Beyond the almost daily press conferences, press calls, rallies, and town halls — a constant for both Republicans and Democrats as each attempts to escape blame for the shutdown — focus has been on legislation and congressional oversight.
Several members of the delegation have introduced legislation before the lapse in funding, with the others frequently acting as co-sponsors to promote the bills. Legislative attempts continued after the shutdown began. A number of these have dealt with federal workers.
The week before the shutdown, Rep. Johnny Olszewski Jr. offered the Securing Assurance for Federal Employees (SAFE) Act, a bill that would block mass firings during a funding lapse. The administration later initiated mass firings. A judge ordered them to be paused days after. On Sept. 29, two days before the shutdown, Sen. Angela Alsobrooks and Rep. Sarah Elfreth introduced the Help FEDS Act, a bill to allow federal workers who must continue working during the shutdown to be paid.
Once funding lapsed, activity increased. Van Hollen has worked with other senators on bills to protect federal workers from eviction or property repossession, among others.
Van Hollen, Alsobrooks, and Rep. Kweisi Mfume sent a letter to the heads of federal financial regulatory agencies, asking for guidance for workers struggling due to the shutdown, additionally offering a bill on the issue.
“We had a whole suite of bills that we’ve sponsored or cosponsored,” Olszewski told The Sun on Friday when asked about the efforts of his office and the delegation. “We are communicating with the public about what’s happening.”
“The most important part of all that communication for me is continuing to call for the leadership of this country to sit down and actually find a solution and a path forward,” Olszewski added.
A common thread connects the differing moves: little to no Republican support. Van Hollen, Alsobrooks, and Rep. Steny Hoyer sent a letter last week that urged the Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought to clarify that furloughed workers would receive back pay, which is required by law. Only one Republican, Sen. Lisa Murkowski, joined them. It’s been one of the few actions tinged by bipartisanship.
The SAFE Act has over 70 cosponsors. No Republicans have joined. The Senate plans to vote on a similar bill to Elfreth’s this week, but one introduced by a Republican.
Democrats are in the minority in both the House and Senate, leaving them largely at the mercy of the Republican leaders who determine which bills are considered. Their letters, similarly, aren’t likely to shift the course of officials in the Trump administration, whose agenda has focused less on bipartisan participation and more on immediate action.
Rep. Andy Harris, the delegation’s sole Republican and the chairman of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, has remained united with GOP leadership throughout the shutdown. At Monday’s GOP leadership press conference, he said that Republicans had done their job and were waiting on the Democrat votes needed to fund the government.
Harris has remained active through frequent media appearances, and he has joined House Republican leaders for press events, including at Monday’s press conference.
“The only thing standing between America and a reopened government is a handful of Senate Democrats too afraid of their activist base to do the right thing,” Harris said during the press conference.
Olszewski said it’s been frustrating that Republican leaders haven’t been receptive.
“It’s not leadership,” Olszewski said. “Leadership unites people of different political persuasions to find a path forward.”
With Republican congressional leaders so far unwilling to negotiate on their preferred funding extension, Democrats are hoping for a different intervention: Trump. Some Democrats believe the shutdown will only end when the president takes the reins on negotiations for the GOP.
“The only person you can negotiate with here is Trump,” Democratic strategist David Brand said. “No one else here matters.”
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