FRESNO (KMJ) — A pair of Central Valley congressmen have put their support behind a bill designed to help furloughed federal employees.
It comes as the partial government shutdown continues into day 27. The stalemate on Capitol Hill has led to thousands of individuals unable to pay their bills, as the rest of the country continues to function as normal.
The Immediate Financial Relief for Federal Employees Act was announced Thursday and is set to be formally introduced Friday. It requires the U.S. Treasury to offer the 800,000 employees impacted interest-free loans of the up to $6,000.
“This is the first bill that I’ve introduced as a member of congress,” said Congressman T.J. Cox.
“It’s safe to say that this is not the first bill that I wanted to introduce.”
If signed into law, the bill would allow loans with no added fees and no need for a credit check. Once the government reopens, the amount would be automatically deducted from normal pay. The full text of the proposed legislation can be found clicking here.
“Right now, I have farmworkers in my district that are unable to get the funding they need to keep their farms open,” said Cox.
“I have 250 federal prison workers in Mendota who are putting their lives on the line, in a dangerous line of work, who don’t know when they’ll see their next paycheck.”
A number of fellow Democrat Congress members have already expressed support for the bill, including neighboring Central Valley Congressman Jim Costa.
“Sooner, than later, we will get an agreement to reopen government and we can get back to doing the business of the American people.”
Hear the report from KMJ’s Dominic McAndrew as it aired:
