Left Exposed in Latest Shutdown Tactic

With the shutdown stretching into its 23rd day, federal workers across the country – including air traffic controllers, military personnel, and Social Security processors – are still expected to show up for work, even though their paychecks have stopped. Meanwhile, the political back-and-forth in D.C. has stalled any progress toward reopening the government.

But while the shutdown grinds on, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (NY) believes “every day gets better” for his party. And today two far-Left Senators Chris Van Hollen (MD) and Gary Peters (MI) plan to present two bills that counter Republican Senator Ron Johnson’s (WI) proposed bill to pay “excepted” federal employees.

As reported:

The Senate is scheduled to vote today on Sen. Ron Johnson’s (R-Wis.) bill to pay “excepted” federal employees who’ve been forced to work without pay during the shutdown. Democrats are likely to filibuster the measure, believing it gives President Donald Trump and OMB Director Russ Vought too much authority over who to pay — or not to pay.

This is a tough vote for Senate Democrats, who will come under heavy criticism from Republicans for blocking a bill paying federal workers who obviously should be getting paid. Senate Majority Leader John Thune has indicated he’ll continue bringing these sorts of one-off bills to the floor to try to pummel Democrats.

Democrats plan to offer two bills of their own today from Sens. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Gary Peters (D-Mich.) to counter the Johnson measure. Each senator is serving as a co-sponsor for the other’s bill.

News: Van Hollen’s bill would pay all federal employees throughout the shutdown and bar any more layoffs by OMB. Peters’ narrower proposal would pay all federal employees up through the day the bill is enacted.

Democrats plan to offer both measures under unanimous consent before the vote on Johnson’s bill. Republicans will object, but it’ll give Democratic leaders an alternative to the GOP bill.

The proposed bill would extend boosted Affordable Care Act insurance subsidies that will otherwise expire on Dec. 31. It also would reverse cuts to Medicaid and other health programs that conservative Senators enacted as part of their party-line megabill this summer.

Conservative Senators have tried repeatedly to pass a short-term funding measure that would reopen the government at last year’s spending levels without adding new provisions. But far-Left Senators have blocked those efforts more than a dozen times.

That’s where Senator Ron Johnson (WI) stepped in. His proposal was simple: If you’re still working during the shutdown because your job is essential – such as air traffic control or the military – you should be paid. Period.

That seems like common sense to most Americans, but the far Left dismissed it, claiming it would give the President the power to “pick winners and losers” by deciding who counts as essential. That argument is, of course, ridiculous, as a clear distinction between essential and non-essential jobs already exists and isn’t political – it’s logistical.

Then came what might be the most bizarre counterproposal yet. Far-Left Senator Gary Peters (MI) introduced a bill that would pay every federal employee – 100% of them – retroactively from the start of the shutdown through the day the bill passes. In other words, it would essentially erase the shutdown on paper, giving everyone back pay immediately while keeping the government technically closed.

However, his plan could set a dangerous precedent: Congress could keep the government “shut down” indefinitely while still paying everyone as if it were fully open. Services would stall, accountability would vanish, and the political pressure to end shutdowns would disappear. It’s essentially like turning the shutdown into a really long coffee break. And the American people would continue to suffer the consequences.

A caller, who identified himself as an air traffic controller with 13 years at the FAA, shared how he woke up to a paycheck stub showing $0. His last check was already 20% lower than usual, and now he’s completely without pay. He said he’s tired of being used as a political pawn, noting that his job demands perfection – there’s no room for error in air traffic control – yet he’s being used as leverage in a political fight he didn’t ask for by politicians in Washington. At the same time, he’s got people’s lives in his hands every day. Senator Johnson’s proposal is a fair, logical step that would relieve stress for workers like him without rewarding political obstruction.

As the shutdown drags on, the real-life consequences are adding up: mortgage payments missed, credit scores at risk, and families living in fear of what’s next. Banks are offering grace periods, but people are still stressed. And while most workers will eventually receive back pay, that doesn’t help them now.

Peters’ bill isn’t even going through the normal legislative process. He’s trying to move it by unanimous consent – meaning every single Senator would have to agree. That’s virtually impossible in today’s hyper-partisan climate, suggesting this bill is more about political optics than genuine problem-solving.

Today’s Sekulow broadcast included more analysis of these two different proposals with my brother, ACLJ Executive Director Jordan Sekulow, as well as callers expressing real-life examples of how this shutdown is affecting them. We were also joined from Israel by ACLJ Senior Counsel and head of our ACLJ Jerusalem office, Jeff Ballabon, who discussed how our legal team intervened on behalf of a Jewish law student forced to endure antisemitic hostility from pro-Hamas student groups at New York Law School after the October 7 attacks.

Watch the full broadcast below: