Lawler says he doesn’t support firings if government shuts down
Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) on Thursday said he does not support a White House memo from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) outlining possible firings aimed at federal agencies if government spending lapses on Oct. 1.
“No, I don’t support permanent layoffs at these agencies,” Lawler said during a Thursday appearance on CNN’s “News Central.”
“But that’s not the issue here. The issue here is that we actually have a bill to keep the government funded and open, and you should be asking Chuck Schumer what is the valid and legal justification that he has not to pass a clean” continuing resolution (CR), the New York congressman told host John Berman.
Berman had to ask Lawler several times about whether he supported the mass firings plan — which several Democratic lawmakers condemned Thursday — as the GOP representative spoke over him and continued to slam the Democratic party for posturing toward a shutdown.
In the middle of Lawler’s remarks, Berman interjected.
“Back to my question, Congressman, do you support the OMB letter if there is a shutdown, do you support the idea of using it for mass firings at the agencies?” he asked.
Lawler, though, persisted with his earlier remarks, “Well, what happens every time we’ve had a shutdown is that the executive branch has to make determinations as to what is essential and what is not. Barack Obama did that in 2013 shut down … ”
Berman corrected him to point out the difference in mass firings described by the Trump administration’s memo, saying they would be “permanent.” The host then kept trying to ask Lawler about the OMB letter and wondered aloud if there were audio issues while Lawler talked over him.
“I’ll try one more time,” Berman finally said. “I think you can hear me: If there is a shutdown, do you support permanent layoffs at federal agencies? Do you support this move? Yes or no?”
“No, I don’t,” the New York representative said.
While he declined to support the Trump administration’s potential firings, Lawler lobbied for House Speaker Mike Johnson’s (R-La.) CR that aims to keep spending at their current levels until Nov. 21.
The New York Republican also slammed Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and House Speaker Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) for pledging not to vote for the CR if Medicaid cuts are not removed.
“It is fundamentally wrong,” Lawler said.
“I reject it when Republicans do it and I reject it when Democrats do it. I have voted for every continuing resolution for a reason, because no one wins in a government shutdown. The American people are the ones that lose,” he added. “The economy loses. It is wrong.”