A group of House Democrats said today they plan to introduce a bill on Friday that would require the Treasury Department to offer zero-interest loans of up to $6,000 to Federal government employees that have not been getting paid as a result of the partial Federal government shutdown.
Sponsors of the bill–Reps. TJ Cox, D-Calif.; Jim Costa, D-Calif.; David Trone, D-Md.; Susie Lee, D-Nev.; and Susan Wild, D-Pa.–said the bill has 70 Democratic cosponsors in the House.
The bill–the Immediate Financial Relief for Federal Employees Act–“would provide immediate relief for the families of federal workers as they continue to work without compensation, facing impossible financial decisions on their rent, bills, and tuition,” its sponsors said. Loans would be issued without credit checks, and would be paid back once the Federal government reopens and normal pay resumes.
