WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.) called the announced freeze on federal hiring “a partisan waste of resources and in impediment to efficient government.”

Senator Cardin: “After barely 24 hours in office, Mr. Trump has chosen to politicize hiring of our federal civil servants by freezing the ability to bring on the best and brightest to work on behalf of the American people. As a business person, the president should understand that such a freeze is inefficient, costly and counterproductive: we cannot attract and maintain highly qualified personnel with such draconian steps that cut off the pipeline of fresh and experienced talent. Mr. Trump and some of his Republican allies may want government to fail, but this move will not save the taxpayers money and it isn’t the way America should be treating its people.

“Time after time our public servants, mostly middle class and struggling to get by like so many other Americans, have been asked to do more with less resources. They have repeatedly been asked to carry extraordinary burdens, including program cuts and pay freezes, while contributing over $180 billion (and counting) to deficit reduction – far more than their share. Federal workers are patriotic and dedicated public servants in every community across the Nation who simply want to do their jobs on behalf of the American people. They shouldn’t suffer because of partisan gamesmanship.”

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