Chicago City Council January 23,2019 Referred to Committee on Finance
RESOLUTION CALLING FOR SUPPORT FOR CHICAGO'S FEDERAL EMPLOYEES
WHEREAS, the partial shutdown of the federal government has now surpassed a full month, becoming the longest shutdown in American history, and
WHEREAS, the government shutdown has affected the operations at nine departments, including Homeland Security, Justice, State and Treasury, and several agencies, including the Environmental Protections Agency and NASA, and
WHEREAS, each and every department is filled with people that have now gone a full month without a paycheck, more than half of them still working, and
WHEREAS, thousands of those federal employees are Chicagoans, struggling to pay utility bills, mortgage, transportation, food, medical bills, etc., and
WHEREAS, these are our family, friends, and neighbors who by no fault of their own are being punished by a breakdown in Washington, and
WHEREAS, the City of Chicago has the ways and means to help our Public Servants under duress, and
WHEREAS, Connecticut and Orlando have begun programs to provide temporary financial aid to federal workers affected by the government shutdown, and
THEREFORE IT BE RESOLVED, the City of Chicago collaborate and partner with local banks to provide unemployment assistance to federal workers that live in Chicago from going without pay during the protracted shutdown of the federal government, and
THEREFORE IT BE RESOLVED, the City of Chicago will help provide those working without pay to obtain an interest-free loan of up to one month's pay, capped at $5,000, and
THEREFORE IT BE RESOLVED, the Finance Committee ofthe Chicago City Council should convene as soon as possible to find partners and ensure these Chicago families do not continue to suffer for no reason.
Gilbert Villegas Alderman, 36th Ward