Today, Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA), the top Democrat on the House Financial Services Committee, shared the following information on how the Trump-Republican shutdown—which Republicans initiated because of their refusal to negotiate with Democrats to protect health care for millions of Americans— is harming federal employees, including military families who are essential to keeping our nation safe. Unfortunately, across the country, many are being forced to work without pay indefinitely.

On Day 10 of the Trump-Republican shutdown, more than 250,000 federal employees have already missed scheduled paychecks, with millions more at risk if Trump refuses to talk to Democrats and keeps the government closed. According to Bloomberg, missed payments mark the beginning of a broader economic shock that could ripple through every state. For families already living paycheck to paycheck, even one missed check can mean late rent, overdue bills, and food insecurity.

Make no mistake, the ripple effects of this shutdown are being felt in every corner of the country disrupting the day-to-day lives of American families and weakening our economy. For example, federal employees who inspect airplanes, process veterans’ benefits, and protect our borders are now struggling to afford rent, groceries, and childcare. In fact, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) had to cancel flights for the third day in a row because missed paychecks have left fewer staff available to ensure flight safety, forcing delays and disruptions across the country. This is just another example of how this shutdown is hurting both workers and the Americans who depend on them.

During the last Trump government shutdown, federal employees turned to payday loans just to get by. Today, they are once again at risk of facing this unfortunate reality because Trump and Republicans would rather shutdown the government than cancel their harmful cuts to health care.

At the same time, 1.3 million active-duty military members are days away from missing their first paycheck. If all active-duty troops are not paid on time, this would be a first in U.S. history. For many military families, this isn’t just a financial setback, it’s a threat to their stability and wellbeing. As Republican Speaker Mike Johnson continues to push this reckless shutdown, he was confronted with the painful consequences firsthand during a live C-SPAN call-in, when a military spouse described how the shutdown is hurting families like hers: "I have a husband who actively serves this country. He suffers from PTSD from his two tours in Afghanistan. If we see a lapse in pay come the 15th (of October), my children do not get to get the medication that's needed for them to live their life, because we live paycheck to paycheck."

To make matters worse, recently President Trump threatened that back pay may not be guaranteed for furloughed federal employees, falsely arguing that back pay is “optional.” Not only is this cruel, it’s a direct violation of the bipartisan Government Employee Fair Treatment Act of 2019 and has left millions of workers uncertain if they will ever recover the wages they’ve earned.

Enough is enough. President Trump and Republicans must stop using public servants and military families as political pawns and ensure our troops and federal workers get paid.

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