Democratic lawmakers today introduced a bill that would enact a statewide loan guarantee program to assist federal employees affected financially by the government shutdown. Representative Zack Stephenson of Coon Rapids says his bill creates a public-private partnership to make interest-free loans to impacted workers–up to $5000–guaranteed by the state for three months. No interest would accrue on the loans until 90 days after the end of the shutdown. Stephenson says “for thousands of federal workers across the state of Minnesota, today should be payday instead those workers are forced to make difficult decisions, do I pay the mortgage, or pay the daycare bill, do I refill the grocery cabinet, or do I refill my prescription.” Stephenson adds “we can disagree about how we got into this federal shutdown, and we can disagree about the path out, but I think all Minnesotans should agree that our federal workers should not have to endure financial suffering because of partisan bickering in Washington.” A Minnesota TSA worker impacted by the federal government shutdown shared her story today at the State Capitol. Celia Hahn, a mother of two, got emotional when she spoke about not receiving a paycheck since December 31st. She says since then”I’ve put orthodontics in both my kids’ mouths, I’ve held my sons back from winter sports…I’ve held them back from attending birthday parties, I even put their own birthday party on hold since they turned 9 last month. ” And Hahn says she asks herself, “How long can I continue to work without pay. What is my breaking point? I ask myself these questions every day, several times a day–I still don’t have the answers.” The shutdown is now in its 35th day.
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