Post by bot on Oct 24, 2013 6:59:03 GMT -5
Hoyer Remarks at Event Thanking Federal Employees
WASHINGTON, DC – House Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer (MD) joined the Congressional Progressive Caucus at an event today thanking American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU), Service Employees International Union (SEIU), American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) for their advocacy on behalf of federal employees during the government shutdown. Below are excerpts of his remarks:
“We need to energize our federal employees all over this government. Shutting down the government made no sense, it penalized people who were not responsible for what [House Republicans] don’t like…. But I want to thank each and every one of you. I want to thank the leadership. I want this to be a lesson all of you will take to our federal employees. If [House Republicans] think this can be done without impunity, they may well do it again. If they think they will not get feedback, pushback, and act back, they may do it again… You know we were out in the rain [during the shutdown], remember I said we can’t stop the rain but [Speaker John] Boehner can stop the shut down. We can’t stop the rain, but 218 of us did stop the shutdown, of which 198 Democrats, without losing one, opened up the government. We won a very small victory – 90 days – so let’s be energized, let’s make sure that everybody is aware of who, what, when is doing to them and for them.”
“I want to say, I’ve been a long time supporter. [CPC Co-Chair Rep. Keith Ellison] has been relatively new but extraordinarily strong on behalf of public employees at every level and on behalf of those people who are not perceived to be public employees but are paid with public money and are being paid poverty wages. That’s not right. Keith Ellison is fighting for them. I’m fighting with him. God bless you for all you do. Keep on keeping on. We will win it in the end.”
Visit www.democraticwhip.gov/ for more press, floor and member resources.
WASHINGTON, DC – House Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer (MD) joined the Congressional Progressive Caucus at an event today thanking American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU), Service Employees International Union (SEIU), American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) for their advocacy on behalf of federal employees during the government shutdown. Below are excerpts of his remarks:
“We need to energize our federal employees all over this government. Shutting down the government made no sense, it penalized people who were not responsible for what [House Republicans] don’t like…. But I want to thank each and every one of you. I want to thank the leadership. I want this to be a lesson all of you will take to our federal employees. If [House Republicans] think this can be done without impunity, they may well do it again. If they think they will not get feedback, pushback, and act back, they may do it again… You know we were out in the rain [during the shutdown], remember I said we can’t stop the rain but [Speaker John] Boehner can stop the shut down. We can’t stop the rain, but 218 of us did stop the shutdown, of which 198 Democrats, without losing one, opened up the government. We won a very small victory – 90 days – so let’s be energized, let’s make sure that everybody is aware of who, what, when is doing to them and for them.”
“I want to say, I’ve been a long time supporter. [CPC Co-Chair Rep. Keith Ellison] has been relatively new but extraordinarily strong on behalf of public employees at every level and on behalf of those people who are not perceived to be public employees but are paid with public money and are being paid poverty wages. That’s not right. Keith Ellison is fighting for them. I’m fighting with him. God bless you for all you do. Keep on keeping on. We will win it in the end.”
Visit www.democraticwhip.gov/ for more press, floor and member resources.