Democrats Move To Stop Foreclosures And Evictions On Unpaid Federal Employees

22 House Democrats have introduced legislation to protect 800,000 federal workers who are either furloughed or working without pay thanks to the government shutdown.

FHA has already asked the mortgage industry to help FHA employees with their mortgages. However, House Democrats want more protection than that.

A group of 22 Democrats introduced a series of bills that would protect federal workers and their families from foreclosures, evictions, and loan defaults during a government shutdown.

The legislation is called the Federal Employee Civil Relief Act.

The bill would prohibit creditors from taking action against federal workers affected by a government shutdown.

In addition, the bill would also give federal workers the ability to sue creditors and landlords who violate that protection. The bill would protect federal employees during the current shutdown and any future shutdowns. The bill would also protect government employees for the 30 days following a resolution of a shutdown.

Senator Brian Schatz (D-HI) and Representative Derek Kilmer (D-WA) introduced the legislation.

Schatz said::

While the President and Senate Republicans struggle to get their act together, real people are suffering. Right now, thousands of federal workers and their families are struggling to pay rent and make ends meet. It’s absolutely unacceptable.

Kilmer added:

Across 800,000 kitchen tables today, hardworking people are trying to figure out how to pay bills and provide for their families without an income. This shutdown is wrong, and it’s time to reopen the government – but until that happens, it’s Congress’s responsibility to help out the families most affected. This bill gives them some much-needed relief.