House Speaker Nancy Pelosi tried to give a soft landing to hundreds of soon-to-be-unemployed Republican staffers, but her efforts were torpedoed by conservative Republicans.
Pelosi, D-Calif., soon after her party’s victories at the polls, introduced a resolution on Dec. 8 — the last day of the previous congressional session. According to the congressional record, the measure would have given two months’ pay and benefits to outgoing committee and leadership staff.
By congressional rules, the majority party can hire up to two-thirds of a committee’s staff. The Democrats formerly began governing this week; the transition has put hundreds of Republican staffers on the unemployment line.
Congressional staff are not automatically entitled to severance; it is up to the congressmen and congresswomen they serve.
The Senate had passed a similar severance measure in 2004, and some Republicans were willing to pass Pelosi’s resolution.
“I think it is entirely reasonable … to provide a period of time for the staff to adjust,” Rep. Vernon Ehlers, R.-Mich., said on the House floor, according to the congressional record.
But a coterie of ultra-conservatives led by Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., and Darrell Issa, R-Calif., objected.
“It is one thing to have a policy, a long-term policy on severance packages,” Flakes said from the floor. “But to spring it in the middle of the night on the last day of session is simply the wrong way to do business.”
According to the congressional record, there followed an only-in-Washington moment where Democrats tried to convince Republicans to take care of their own staff.
“We are talking about staff that has worked hard in this House and has helped us have the successes we have had,” said Rep. Juanita Millender-McDonald, D-Calif., adding that it was “amazing” that Congress couldn’t be more “sensitive” so close to Christmas.
Looking back this week, some Democrats were still flummoxed by the floor action.
“It was an interesting position for the Republican conference,” said Drew Hammill, Pelosi’s spokesman. “One-hundred percent of those who lost their jobs were Republicans.”
Not all Republican staffers were left out in the cold that Christmas. Some committees, such as the government reform committee formerly chaired by Rep. Tom Davis, R-Va., had saved money in their budgets to take care of out-of-work staffers.
“This was my way of saying, ‘Thanks for your service,’ ” Davis told The Examiner in an e-mail. “Frankly, I wish we could’ve done more.”
Anyone with information on congressional staff can call 202-459-4956.
