Push to include contractor back pay in funding deal hits GOP roadblock

Source: The Hill

BY JORDAIN CARNEY - 02/13/19 12:33 PM EST

An effort to include back pay for contractors in the government funding deal is running into GOP opposition.

Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) said Democrats were trying to get the 17 conferees to approve adding back pay stemming from the longest shutdown in U.S. history into the legislative text of the government funding agreement.

"Thousands of federal contractors have not been reimbursed from the 35-day shutdown. This issue is still hanging in the balance," Schumer said. "No one should stand in the way of that. It's just not fair to them. They were hostages."

A Democratic source familiar with the negotiations said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) was objecting to including the back pay for contractors.

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Read more: https://thehill.com/policy/finance/429827-push-to-include-contractor-back-pay-in-funding-deal-hits-gop-roadblock