FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 10, 2025
November 10, 2025
Contact:
Tim Kauffman
202-374-6491
[email protected]
AFGE President Everett Kelley Statement on Senate Vote to End Government Shutdown; Urges House Passage
Largest federal employee union urges passage of the Shutdown Fairness Act to ensure federal employees are paid during lapses in appropriation
WASHINGTON — Following the Senate’s vote to advance an appropriations bill that would fund the government through the end of January, American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) National President Everett Kelley issued the following statement:
“For 40 days, the livelihoods of more than two million federal employees have been held hostage by politicians who would rather play politics than do their jobs.
“AFGE members are tired of being used as leverage to advance political priorities. Government shutdowns not only harm federal employees and their families, they also waste taxpayers' dollars and severely diminish services depended on by the American people.
“AFGE is grateful to the Senators who fought to ensure that federal employees’ job security is not hanging in the balance while they determine spending levels. Federal employees, a third of whom are veterans, are patriotic Americans and they should never have to stand in line at food banks because Congress has refused to do its job.
“We strongly urge the House of Representatives to pass this continuing resolution and for President Trump to sign it immediately.
“While we are glad that the shutdown is coming to an end for now, we remain concerned about the growing use of government shutdowns as leverage for political gain. That’s why AFGE strongly supports the bipartisan Shutdown Fairness Act (S. 3168), which would pay federal workers during government shutdowns, ensuring that federal employees will never be used as political pawns again.”
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