U.S. Senator Susan Collins, who serves as Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, has issued a statement opposing a move by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to make permanent layoffs of federal workers who were furloughed during a recent government shutdown.
Collins specifically criticized OMB Director Russ Vought for the proposal. She stated, "I strongly oppose OMB Director Russ Vought’s attempt to permanently lay off federal workers who have been furloughed due to a completely unnecessary government shutdown caused by Senator Schumer. Regardless of whether federal employees have been working without pay or have been furloughed, their work is incredibly important to serving the public. Arbitrary layoffs result in a lack of sufficient personnel needed to conduct the mission of the agency and to deliver essential programs, and cause harm to families in Maine and throughout our country."
The senator emphasized the importance of federal workers in delivering public services and highlighted the negative impact that layoffs could have on both agency operations and families across the United States.
