Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, broke ranks Wednesday and signed a "bipartisan" letter to White House Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought, urging him to grant back pay to federal employees furloughed during the current government shutdown, The Hill first reported.
Senate Democrats, along with the lone Republican Murkowski, signed the letter which references the Government Employee Fair Treatment Act of 2019.
President Donald Trump signed the act into law during his first term, designed to guarantee federal employees will ultimately receive back wages in spite of a government shutdown.
Sens. Tim Kaine, Chris Van Hollen, Angela Alsobrooks, and Mark Warner were among the signatories of the letter which states, "The law is clear: all impacted government employees, regardless of excepted or furloughed status, are entitled to back pay after a government shutdown ends, which is consistent with the guidance currently provided by federal agencies, including the Office of Personnel Management (OPM)."
"OPM's shutdown guidance from September 2025 still states that furloughed federal workers will be provided back pay once the government reopens," the letter continued.
Vought said earlier in the day on "The Charlie Kirk Show" that as many as 10,000 government employees could be fired during the current shutdown.
On Tuesday, the Senate fell short of the 60 votes required to advance the House-passed bill aimed at ending the government shutdown and extending funding into next month, as no additional Democrats backed the measure.
The OMB released a memo earlier in the month that questions the Democrats' argument saying the law they are referencing had been amended to clarify that furloughed workers may receive back pay "subject to the enactment of appropriations Acts ending the lapse."
The shutdown will extend into its 16th day Thursday.
Democrats said the uncertainty regarding the back pay for furloughed workers has caused "unnecessary stress" for 2.2 million federal employees.
"Thus, we request you immediately clarify and update the Frequently Asked Questions During a Lapse in Appropriations Document and other relevant materials to affirm that furloughed employees will receive back pay, as is required by law," the lawmakers wrote.
James Morley III ✉
James Morley III is a writer with more than two decades of experience in entertainment, travel, technology, and science and nature.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.