Supporting Federal Workers

Floor Speech

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Ms. SANCHEZ. Mr. Speaker, I thank Glenn Ivey for his wonderful work.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of our Nation's Federal workers. As a member of the Labor Caucus, I stand with the essential workers who provide critical services to the American public.

Make no mistake, we are seeing a direct attack on our democracy right now. Efforts to shut down Federal agencies are designed to erode our Nation's foundation. No one, not the President, not an unelected billionaire, has the right to singlehandedly dismantle Federal agencies created and funded by the Congress, yet that is exactly what is happening.

President Trump has surrendered control over to Elon Musk, allowing him to dismantle our institutions without any oversight. This is a blatant abuse of power, and it is happening on this Congress' watch.

They have attacked Federal workers, replacing skilled civil servants with political loyalists. They have targeted and smeared public employees who have served this country honorably, many for decades. They are even rejecting union contracts that were lawfully negotiated between the government and workers. This is union-busting, plain and simple.

As a former union member, I won't stand for that. These contracts are protected by law and cannot be changed on a whim or, more likely, on a tantrum.

It gets worse. Elon Musk's DOGE has even infiltrated the Treasury Department. He and a bunch of twentysomethings now have access to the Federal payment system and the confidential data of almost every American.

Why on Earth do a bunch of kids who are not even legally old enough to rent a car need access to Americans' personal information and data? Why should they have their hands on our Social Security or Medicare payment or see whether we or a loved one has a disability or whether or not we received a tax refund?

This isn't just a violation of privacy. It is a breach of the trust of the American people who they put in government.

DOGE needs to be held accountable for its unlawful actions, and Democrats are and will continue to fight back. We are demanding hearings, investigations, and supporting lawsuits that seek to protect our constituents' very personal information.

We need the few Republicans in this body who care about the rule of law to join us in this fight. We need to defend Congress' constitutional authorities, the power of the purse, and oversight of the executive branch. We need Republicans to stand up for all Americans.

We want all Federal workers to please know that they are essential. America values them, needs them, and has their backs. When they are attacked, every American who depends on them is also attacked.

Mr. Speaker, I once again thank my colleague, Mr. Glenn Ivey, for yielding.

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