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Senate shutdown bill to provide full back pay

ASSOCIATED PRESS

People rallied to call for an end to the partial government shutdown in Detroit, Thursday.

The U.S. Senate passed a bill Thursday assuring that federal employees required to work during the government shutdown will be provided full back pay once the shutdown ends.

The bill was authored by Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) and Ben Cardin (D-MD) and co-sponsored by 36 other senators (35 Democrats and 1 Republican), including Sens. Mazie Hirono and Brian Schatz of Hawaii.

“Our federal workers shouldn’t suffer because the president and Republicans in Congress don’t know how to govern,” said Schatz, who serves on the Senate Appropriations Committee. “These workers keep our country running, and they deserve the pay they have earned. I hope we can quickly get this through the House and to the president so that the men and women who serve our country get fully compensated.”

The bill now passes to the House of Representatives for approval. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Thursday that President Donald Trump has already assured him that he would sign the bill into law.

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