Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md., on Monday railed against Congress’ failed handling of the federal budget process and the automatic budget cuts lawmakers allowed to take effect, but his enthusiasm appeared lost on the federal workers he was addressing in Maryland, all of whom had been spared the worst of the budget cuts.

“We’re not going to allow our country to operate like a third world nation with the uncertainties of these sequester cuts,” Cardin told senior officials at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. “I can’t tell you we are going to win it by Oct. 1, but we will win this fight.”