A group of three Democratic representatives from the Capital region sent a letter to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) on Tuesday, asking for an update on back pay for Federal workers amid reports of discrepancies.
The letter, sent by Reps. Elijah Cummings, D-Md., Gerry Connolly, D-Va., and Jennifer Wexton, D-Va., asks OMB Director Mick Mulvaney and acting OPM Director Margaret Weichert to provide an update on payment efforts for each agency impacted by the shutdown.
“Although Congress passed legislation to guarantee back pay for Federal workers, we have heard reports of many instances of shorted pay and inconsistent tax deductions that left workers unable to make mortgage or rent payments,” the representatives write.
In addition, the letter asks OMB and OPM to provide a Federal-wide update on how many employees are still owed back pay, what plans are in place to make sure all workers are paid in full, and what actions agencies have taken to support employees.
The letter notes that the House Oversight and Reform Committee has the “broad authority to investigate ‘any matter’ at ‘any time’ under House Rule X,” a strong allusion to the possibility of Congressional hearings if the representatives don’t receive answers. Cummings serves as the chairman of the committee, while Connolly is the chairman of the Subcommittee on Government Operations.
The letter requests a response by February 26th.