Federal Employees

Federal employees are hard-working Americans who strive to keep us healthy, safe and informed, and free to enjoy the lifestyle that we, as Americans, have grown to appreciate and expect. I applaud the commitment to public service of these men and women, and recognize the sacrifices that they make for the good of our nation.

Federal Employees are also pivotal to Maryland’s economy, as hundreds of thousands work here and work here. I am committed to keeping federal jobs and facilities in Maryland, and advocating for the rights of federal employees. I am working to preserve and protect collective bargaining rights and to ensure that federal workers do not solely bear the brunt of America’s economic burden.

Key Facts

• More than 260,000 civilian federal employees reside in Maryland.
• Federal employees are 7% of Maryland’s workforce.
• There are 17 primary military facilities and 58 primary non-military facilities in Maryland.
• Federal agencies in Maryland include the Food and Drug Administration, the National Security Agency, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the National Institutes of Health, and NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center.

FAQs

How does the agreement to raise the debt ceiling through 2013 and cut $1 trillion from the deficit during the next 10 years impact federal employees?

Federal workers have already made a significant contribution to reducing the deficit with a two-year pay freeze. Senator Cardin understands that federal employees did not create the budget deficits, and will continue to fight to ensure that they do not shoulder an unfair burden for reducing the deficit. He is pleased that the recently enacted budget agreement provides some protections against a further erosion of federal workers’ compensation. Click HERE to watch the Senator’s discussion with federal workers at the Census Bureau about the budget agreement and how it will affect federal workers.

What is Senator Cardin doing to bring an end to sequestration?

Sequestration was supposed to be such an extreme measure that it would motivate Democrats and Republicans to come together and find a reasonable path out of our fiscal mess. I worked hard with my colleagues to find a smarter way, but such compromise was blocked at every turn. Compromise is an approach that needs to be embraced on both sides of the aisle. Sequestration – a meat ax approach to budgeting – must be stopped because it is so damaging to furloughed federal employees, their families, and the American people as a whole. I am committed to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle on a comprehensive budget deal that puts an end to sequestration.