October 23, 2025
Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.) today released a statement following her vote on S.3012.
“The legislation that Republicans put forth today would give the White House free reign to pay who they want to pay while leaving others behind. This administration has consistently used federal employees as political pawns, and I have no interest in giving them yet another lever to continue to do so.
“Democrats proposed two alternatives that would pay all federal employees, not just those the Trump administration deems worthy. It was no surprise that it was shot down by Republicans. Over the last year, this administration has launched an all-out assault on the Americans who work hard to deliver the resources and benefits our communities and families need. Now, instead of working with Democrats to open the government and ensure our federal employees don’t miss another check, they have decided to punish our workers even more with unnecessary furloughs and firings.
“Delaware is home to thousands of federal employees who have dedicated their lives to public service. I’ll continue doing everything I can to end this shutdown, protect their health care, and ensure our dedicated civil servants receive their paychecks. This proposal falls significantly short of these goals.”
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Senator Lisa Blunt Rochester represents Delaware in the United States Senate where she serves on the Committees on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs; Commerce, Science, and Transportation; Environment and Public Works; and Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.