Republican senator says back pay for federal workers is 'not up to the president'

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: The Hill

10/07/25 4:24 PM ET


Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) said on Tuesday that the president does not get to decide whether furloughed federal workers are entitled to back pay.

“It’s not up to the president,” Kennedy told reporters, when asked at the Capitol about the Trump administration “not necessarily committing to back pay” for the federal workers. “I mean, his opinion matters, but Congress has got to appropriate the money,” he continued, according to a video posted online by a CBS News reporter. “Read the Constitution.”

Asked about the legality of denying federal workers back pay, Kennedy said, “We’ve always paid back pay to the military and federal workers, and Congress has already, always appropriated the money, and we will this time, in my opinion.”

A draft memo from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) raised the possibility that furloughed federal workers may not be entitled to back pay from their time off during the government shutdown, Axios first reported. The draft memo hinges on an aggressive interpretation of the Government Employee Fair Treatment Act of 2019 — which President Trump signed during the last government shutdown — and argues the law does not automatically guarantee back pay to all furloughed employees.

Read more: https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/5543695-john-kennedy-federal-workers-back-pay/

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REFERENCE - https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143543154

[Miguelito Loveless]

1. Right.

Like you are going to have anything to say when he does it. You will sit quietly in the back and nod your head like the good little toady you are.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

2. Well, Johnny K, Congress can certainly appropriate funds for a specific purpose, but ...

... Trump's Extreme Court says that Trump can divert those funds to some other purpose.

Congress gives money to workers, Trump diverts it to build a cage for a Mixed Martial Arts fight on the White House lawn. A gold cage, of course.

[Attilatheblond]

3. No fan of Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), but his comment seems to show he is NOT in the Epstein file

and therefore no subject to being blackmailed by Trump on that topic.

[Cha]

4. Wow a R Senator Bucking

the Traitor on Back Pay for Fed Workers.

Sound like the Tritor would find this Very Inappropriate for Supporting his "Dictatorship".

[Volaris]

20. That means he will be out on his ass the moment trump figures a way to do it.

Dear Leader does what Dear Leader WANTS.

Who the fuck is Mr Kennedy to say otherwise?
Oh, just a member of our own Congressional Party? Oh well, then off to the NICE gulag with him.

[FakeNoose]

5. Tell Chump that the federal workers are not HIS employees

... and he can't stiff them like he does to his own workers and subcontractors.

Federal workers are employed by Uncle Sam, and many of them were working long before Chump showed his ugly face on 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. This argument is absurd.

[liberalgunwilltravel]

6. Dear Senator Foghorn Leghorn

You are the one that is supporting the wannabe dictator.

[angrychair]

7. Despite his ridiculous Foghorn Leghorn shtick

Which irritates me to no end, Kennedy is a highly educated and by all accounts, competent, lawyer.

He is the poster boy for the one of the truly most irresponsible and asinine aspects of Republican behavior. That otherwise highly educated people, acting like irrational assholes that don't think the law applies to them or their actions and that purposely lie to confuse or mislead the ignorant.

Education is meant to improve our lives, not to take advantage of the ignorant and gullible.

[Volaris]

21. 'Education is meant to improve our lives, not to take advantage of the ignorant and gullible.'

The entire history of capitalism is going to disagree with you on that point lol, but otherwise you're absolutely correct.
You're also correct that Sen Kennedy IS a lot smarter than the Dumb Show he puts on for the drooling maga idiots.

[Escurumbele]

8. Translation: It's not up to the president, but we will sure make him happy and comply with his wishes.

Bunch of cowards.

[Skittles]

9. yup

I don't believe anything Trump bootlickers say.

[pfitz59]

10. Screw cosplay Kennedy

What a hupocrite

[onenote]

11. The relevant statutory language:

"Each employee of the United States Government or of a District of Columbia public employer furloughed as a result of a covered lapse in appropriations shall be paid for the period of the lapse in appropriations, and each excepted employee who is required to perform work during a covered lapse in appropriations shall be paid for such work, at the employee’s standard rate of pay, at the earliest date possible after the lapse in appropriations ends, regardless of scheduled pay dates."

[Sogo]

13. So the Senator doesn't have to rely upon "what we've always done before,"

but he can stand with the law.....Imagine that, we're a nation of laws, not of the whims of its rulers....

[yonder]

16. "Each and Shall . . .", covering two distinct employee conditions, makes the law's intent pretty clear.

There isn't any wiggle room in that language.

Of course, that won't keep President Fortnight from doing what he can to throw a wrench in the works.

[MLWR]

12. No fan of this version of John Kennedy, but he's correct.

However, that means nothing to his orange lord and savior. I'd love to watch Kennedy telling that to TACO.

[Skittles]

14. yeah but since you are all such a bunch of BOOTLICKING TRUMP WHORES

it really kind of IS "up to him"

[3825-87867]

15. Federal workers pay Federal Taxes...

is ICE getting paid with Federal (Public) Tax monies? And if so, their pay should be a matter of public record as all Federal Empoyees. Maybe not SS numbers etc, but names at least and maybe addresses?

[COL Mustard]

17. This is just more fear mongering from Vought and his henchmen

It's right there in the law:

"Each employee of the United States Government or of a District
of Columbia public employer furloughed as a result of a covered lapse in
appropriations shall be paid for the period of the lapse in
appropriations, and each excepted employee who is required to perform
work during a covered lapse in appropriations shall be paid for such
work, at the employee's standard rate of pay, at the earliest date
possible after the lapse in appropriations ends, regardless of scheduled
pay dates."

[KS Toronado]

18. After seeing what he said in the Oval Office about back pay

He was hinting at back pay for Rs but not for Democrats. He's doing everything he can
to load the Federal Government with loyal brain dead MAGAts.

[republianmushroom]

19. John, get your head out of your pokey little ass.

If he told you to kiss his ass and to give him 30 minutes to draw crowd t watch, you would do it.