GOP rejects bill to give back pay to federal contractors, wants to repeal estate tax instead

[homersapien 11,393]

As if there was any doubt about who Republicans work for.

Republican senators want to repeal the estate tax on the wealthiest families — and stiff federal contractors

Not a single Republican senator has joined the effort to give back pay to hundreds of thousands of federal contractors who were unpaid during the partial government shutdown. But the party’s leaders are pushing ahead with a bill to repeal the federal estate tax on behalf of the wealthiest Americans.

Minnesota Sen. Tina Smith and Massachusetts Rep. Ayanna Pressley, both Democrats, have introduced bills that would give back pay to federal contractors, who are not entitled under law to be paid after a shutdown as federal employees are, Vox reported.

According to the Washington Post, the total number of federal contractors affected could be in the millions. Federal contractors were barred from doing any business for the government for 35 days, meaning many workers missed out on nearly 10 percent of their annual pay.

The bill would allow agencies to provide workers with up to $965 per week in back pay.

Smith said the bill is an easy fix because federal agencies have already allocated money for the contractor costs but haven’t paid paid them out. 

“If you think about it, they’re paying people for work they would have done but for the shutdown,” Smith told Vox. “In many cases, that money was already budgeted; it just hasn’t been spent.” .........

 

.............Instead, on Monday, three top Republican senators introduced a bill to repeal the federal estate tax, which is paid by fewer than 2,000 of the wealthiest Americans per year.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell was joined by Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., in sponsoring a bill that fully repeals the tax some wealthy families must pay on inherited wealth, the Washington Post reported.......

 

Read the full piece at:  https://www.salon.com/2019/01/29/gop-rejects-bill-to-give-back-pay-to-federal-contractors-wants-to-repeal-estate-tax-instead/

 

 

 

[McLoofus 35,182]

Well, they're just following POTUS's lead. He's well known for stiffing his contractors. Heck, finding out that he could legally use the shutdown to stiff federal contractors might have been additional impetus to do it in the first place. 

[channonc 466]

Not surprising in the least. I hope federal contractors take note.

[Proud Tiger 4,261]

6 hours ago, channonc said:

Not surprising in the least. I hope federal contractors take note.

Have you seen a bill or anything denying federal contractors back pay? Has the Pres. denied them?

I'm all for abolishing the estate tax. It is double taxation.

[TitanTiger 20,499]

2 hours ago, Proud Tiger said:

Have you seen a bill on denying federal contractors back pay.

I'm all for abolishing the estate tax. It is double taxation.

So is a sales tax.

[TitanTiger 20,499]

2 hours ago, Proud Tiger said:

Have you seen a bill on denying federal contractors back pay.

Also, you don't need a bill to deny the affected contractors back pay.  That's what's happening right now.  There are some in Congress trying to pass a bill that would grant them back pay also.  Republicans are opposing it.

[Proud Tiger 4,261]

5 minutes ago, TitanTiger said:

Also, you don't need a bill to deny the affected contractors back pay.  That's what's happening right now.  There are some in Congress trying to pass a bill that would grant them back pay also.  Republicans are opposing it.

So who passed something denying them back pay?

 

[TitanTiger 20,499]

4 minutes ago, Proud Tiger said:

So who passed something denying them back pay?

No one.  They just don't currently have the same protections that GS employees do.

[Proud Tiger 4,261]

Just now, TitanTiger said:

No one.  They just don't currently have the same protections that GS employees do.

There has to be something (regulation?) making that the case.

[TitanTiger 20,499]

1 minute ago, Proud Tiger said:

There has to be something (regulation?) making that the case.

The bottom line is, the GS employees currently get back pay when a furlough happens.  Contractors typically don't.  But this was a particularly long shutdown and some members of Congress recognize that federal contractors have families to feed too.  The only reason to oppose it is to be an ass.

[Proud Tiger 4,261]

2 minutes ago, TitanTiger said:

The bottom line is, the GS employees currently get back pay when a furlough happens.  Contractors typically don't.  But this was a particularly long shutdown and some members of Congress recognize that federal contractors have families to feed too.  The only reason to oppose it is to be an ass.

This can't just be arbitrary. Someone has to decide that and I ASSUME it is based on a regulation or something. If not, the question then is who is making that determination.

[TitanTiger 20,499]

1 minute ago, Proud Tiger said:

This can't just be arbitrary. Someone has to decide that and I ASSUME it is based on a regulation or something. If not, the question then is who is making that determination.

No, it's not.  There's absolutely zero to prevent Congress from passing a bill to do this, but it's something they have to actually do, it won't happen on its own.  And as the article stated, this isn't new money.  This is money that was already allocated to go the contractor costs, it just has to be paid out.

The Republicans aren't failing to back this effort because anything is preventing them from doing so.

[homersapien 11,393]

5 minutes ago, Proud Tiger said:

This can't just be arbitrary. Someone has to decide that and I ASSUME it is based on a regulation or something. If not, the question then is who is making that determination.

Government employees who hire contractors aren't automatically authorized to pay them for work not done. 

Presumably, payments to contractors must follow a process that matches proof the work was done to payments (like timesheets).  That's pretty much standard practice for any business, government or otherwise.

 

[Proud Tiger 4,261]

14 minutes ago, TitanTiger said:

No, it's not.  There's absolutely zero to prevent Congress from passing a bill to do this, but it's something they have to actually do, it won't happen on its own.  And as the article stated, this isn't new money.  This is money that was already allocated to go the contractor costs, it just has to be paid out.

The Republicans aren't failing to back this effort because anything is preventing them from doing so.

Of course Congress would have to pass a bill to change the current situation of blocking contractors from getting back pay IF there is law preventing it which I don't think is the case. That's what I asked earlier.....is there such a bill being considered. But as things stand now, someone/something has to be in place preventing them from getting back pay. So the question again is.......who or what is this now that allows civil service people to get back pay but not contractors? As a long time CS guy I think I know the answer but curious what you are basing your opinion on that I am wrong.

[TitanTiger 20,499]

Here's a good explanation of how this works currently.

https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2019/1/29/18200559/government-shutdown-contractors-back-pay

[Proud Tiger 4,261]

3 hours ago, TitanTiger said:

Here's a good explanation of how this works currently.

https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2019/1/29/18200559/government-shutdown-contractors-back-pay

I don't think these GOP senators understand why the contractors (some of them) aren't getting paid anymore than you do. Any bill besides a broad overhaul of gov't procurement regulations would be pretty dumb. I don't know who you work for but unless you ever bid on gov't contracts you are over your head in this discussion. Maybe someone besides me who deals with gov't contracts can help here.

[TitanTiger 20,499]

1 hour ago, Proud Tiger said:

I don't think these GOP senators understand why the contractors (some of them) aren't getting paid anymore than you do. Any bill besides a broad overhaul of gov't procurement regulations would be pretty dumb. I don't know who you work for but unless you ever bid on gov't contracts you are over your head in this discussion. Maybe someone besides me who deals with gov't contracts can help here.

I don't give out personal details of my work history on forums like this, but suffice it to say, I'm not over my head in this discussion.

[alexava 6,973]

Jesus Christ man. It’s not that complicated. 

[McLoofus 35,182]

7 hours ago, alexava said:

Jesus Christ man. It’s not that complicated. 

This is one of those times where I can't tell whether he's being more of an idiot or a jackass or if it's about even. 

[NolaAuTiger 3,295]

18 hours ago, TitanTiger said:

Also, you don't need a bill to deny the affected contractors back pay.  That's what's happening right now.  There are some in Congress trying to pass a bill that would grant them back pay also.  Republicans are opposing it.

Do you (or anyone else reading this) know what day the bill was introduced and/or debated? I've glanced at the congressional record but cannot find it. I am happy to link it to the forum if I can find it. I believe it would do well to read it, along with accompanying congressional debates, more so than relying on the media's way of putting it. I don't mean to take sides or throw shade at any media outlet or any poster here. This is just my opinion. 

[TitanTiger 20,499]

1 minute ago, NolaAuTiger said:

Do you (or anyone else reading this) know what day the bill was introduced and/or debated? I've glanced at the congressional record but cannot find it. I am happy to link it to the forum if I can find it. I believe it would do well to read it, along with accompanying congressional debates, more so than relying on the media's way of putting it. I don't mean to take sides or throw shade at any media outlet or any poster here. This is just my opinion. 

https://www.smith.senate.gov/content/us-senator-tina-smith-colleagues-introduce-fair-compensation-low-wage-contractor-employees

[Proud Tiger 4,261]

10 hours ago, alexava said:

Jesus Christ man. It’s not that complicated. 

Then explain it to us.

[Proud Tiger 4,261]

2 hours ago, McLoofus said:

This is one of those times where I can't tell whether he's being more of an idiot or a jackass or if it's about even. 

Well smartass you explain it.

12 minutes ago, TitanTiger said:

https://www.smith.senate.gov/content/us-senator-tina-smith-colleagues-introduce-fair-compensation-low-wage-contractor-employees

Note that this bill is aimed primarily at lower wage employees. It will not have much effect on the vast majority of federal contractors.

[TitanTiger 20,499]

Just now, Proud Tiger said:

Well smartass you explain it.

Note that tis bill is aimed primarily at lower wage employees. It will not have much effect on the vast majority of federal contractors.

True.  But thus far, they can't even get one Republican to back it.

[NolaAuTiger 3,295]

11 minutes ago, TitanTiger said:

https://www.smith.senate.gov/content/us-senator-tina-smith-colleagues-introduce-fair-compensation-low-wage-contractor-employees

https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/senate-bill/162

https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/senate-bill/162/text