FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact: Matt Dorsey
(202) 550-6987
October 22, 2025
Washington, D.C. – On Friday, well over one million federal workers will miss a full paycheck, as the government shutdown enters its fifth week. The National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE-IAM), representing 110,000 civil servants, is continuing to demand Congress do its job and fund the government.
“As this shutdown drags on, the ongoing failure of Congress has created a crisis for federal workers and their families,” said NFFE National President Randy Erwin. “Our members, at no fault of their own, are having their lives upended, both financially and personally. These are hardworking Americans, many of whom can no longer afford housing, food, gas, and medical care. Many are picking up second jobs, filing for unemployment, and waiting in lines at food banks just to survive. They have been forced to cancel trips to see family, removed their children from sports and extracurricular activities, and are struggling to pay for childcare and college tuition. Many have no choice but to draw from their savings, delaying or pushing back retirement by years. The federal government used to be a model employer and a stable place for middle-class Americans. Now, for many, a career in public service brings pain and suffering.
“While so many federal employees are being forced to stay home, critical public services are being irreparably damaged. Veterans and active duty military are not receiving appropriate healthcare and are losing faith in the government’s ability to provide for them. The vehicles and aircraft of our armed forces are not being properly maintained, while public aviation safety is threatened. Prescribed burns are not being administered on our public lands, leading to an increased threat of destructive wildfires. Recreational areas are shuttered or limited to skeleton crews, causing delayed emergency response, vandalism, and other illegal activity. Scientific research projects are completely halted and environmental regulations are not being enforced, threatening the safety of our food, water, and air.
“This shutdown has caused immense waste and economic damage, both at the federal and local level. Each day of the shutdown, one to two billion dollars in economic output are lost, according to Oxford Economics. Meanwhile, communities across the country are seeing sharp declines in economic activity as federal workers limit their spending and millions of Americans cut back on tourism to places like national parks, recreational sites, and museums. Government contracts are on hold and small businesses tied to federal spending cannot operate or receive services from federal agencies.
“Congress refusing to effectively govern is appalling and unsustainable. The Senate has taken no meaningful action to reach a funding deal, while Speaker Johnson and House Republicans have fled Washington in the middle of a national crisis. It is disgraceful that our elected officials have created this mess and have neglected to even consider a bipartisan solution. The lack of leadership, both in Congress and the White House, is embarrassing. Congress and President Trump are simply out of touch with working people and the predicament this crisis is causing. Federal workers and the American people are suffering. It must end now.”