Two Democratic members of Congress from Prince George’s County held a roundtable meeting Thursday in Bowie to talk about the government shutdown.
Two Democratic members of Congress from Prince George’s County held a roundtable meeting Thursday in Bowie to talk about the government shutdown, which is now well into its third week with no end in sight.
Maryland Reps. Steny Hoyer and Glenn Ivey want the Republican-controlled House to get back into session and end the long government shutdown.
“It’s dumb and it’s wrong, and we ought to be making a deal,” said Hoyer, who has been a member of Congress since 1981 and has experienced 11 government shutdowns during his 44 years in the House of Representatives.
“This (dispute) could be solved with one vote. And that vote would be a bill that opens up the government and continues what the current law is.”
Hoyer pointed out that as a young member of Congress, President Ronald Reagan’s administration and Democrats in Congress experienced eight government shutdowns. The longest shutdown, in 1983, lasted three days because both sides of the political spectrum saw the urgency of making a deal and keeping the government running.
“Shutting down the government is a policy that ought not to be pursued ever. That’s the bottom line,” Hoyer said.
Hoyer and Ivey are sticking to the Democratic Party line that House Speaker Mike Johnson and the Republican leadership are to blame for the partial shutdown by not negotiating on the Affordable Care Act’s subsidies, which keep health care premiums down to a manageable level for millions of Americans.
Hoyer said tens of thousands of Maryland residents will see their health care premiums substantially increase in the coming weeks if an agreement to restart the federal government does not include an extension of the tax credits.
“What we’re trying to do is make sure that 20 million people don’t lose their insurance, which we believe is a humanitarian thing to do and in the best interest of all America,” he said.
Rep. Ivey blames Republicans and Speaker Johnson for having the House in recess, and not voting, while the government remains shutdown.
“They’ve been absent without leave. They need to get their butts back to Washington and get back to work,” Ivey told WTOP. “I think the wake-up call is coming now that the notices have gone out to the public, that their premiums are going to double and triple, and they’re starting to get on the phone now and the Republicans are starting to get an earful.”
Effect on Maryland residents
Officials from the state of Maryland told the Congressmen that the state has been especially hard hit since the Trump administration returned to Washington in January, because Maryland has tens of thousands of federal government workers living there.
According to the state of Maryland, more than 150,000 residents were employed by the federal government earlier this year. The Maryland Department of Labor estimates 10%, or 15,000 people, have been laid off nationwide, with the most coming from Maryland.
First, there were cutbacks from the Department of Government Efficiency, instituted by billionaire Elon Musk and his team. Now, there are furloughs and threats of firings from the Office of Management and Budget.
Federal workers speak
One man, who wished not to be identified, told WTOP that he’s been working in the federal government for over 30 years but he’s never faced instability like this.
He said he and his colleagues are struggling with the shutdown, especially as the next scheduled federal payday is coming and this will be the first one where a complete paycheck is missed.
“It’s disheartening being a federal employee, knowing that every few months you have to go through this pain, whether the government is going to be open, whether it’s going to be funded,” he said. “So, it’s kind of devastating, very difficult.”
He said he pays more attention to his bills and how he can meet “the needs of our family, providing food, mortgage.”
As the shutdown lingers, this worker said he and his colleagues want Republicans and Democrats to find a solution where the government funding is restored and the health care subsidy issue is also resolved.
He said the sooner, the better.
“I have, or we have, no idea. We’re looking for different resources to help me as a federal employee, looking for companies that provide food services or any type of help to federal employees. And we’re just doing the best that we can,” the man said.
While many federal workers have weathered shutdowns before, another longtime employee says this one feels different.
“I’ve lived through many furloughs in my military and government civilian career, and this one just feels different,” the worker told WTOP anonymously.
The retired military veteran, now working at the Department of Health and Human Services, said 2025 has been a year of upheaval.
“We were ordered back to the office full time. … Then a month later, we got the RIFs,” they said. “Now, we’re furloughed again. We’re not getting paid and they’re doing more RIFs. It’s just insane.”
The worker still has their job, but is dipping into savings while paychecks don’t come in — and they worry about younger colleagues who might not have an emergency fund.
“Back when we were very junior enlisted … it was tough, especially in the D.C. region,” they recalled.
They said the agency is handing out letters to furloughed employees asking creditors to remain patient and show compassion toward federal workers who have bills due. But the biggest concern this time around is whether a reduction in force, or RIF, notice could come during the shutdown.
“There’s just the question of, if this continues to go on, will I be fired, as opposed to just being furloughed and being brought back?”
After all this, the worker said the big question for them is: Is it time to move on?
“I’m looking at whether I really want to be part of this government anymore — I’ve dedicated 40 years of my life to it, and I’m just tired,” they said.
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