Rep. Cleaver and House Democrats Question Trump Administration’s “Deferred Resignation” Proposal to Gut the Federal Workforce
(Washington, D.C.) – This week, in an effort to gather more information and understand the gravity of the sweeping effects of losing tens of thousands of federal employees, U.S. Representative Emanuel Cleaver joined Reps. Jill Tokuda (D-HI) and Steny Hoyer (D-MD), along with 47 House Democrats, to demand information regarding the impact of the Trump Administration’s “deferred resignation” proposal. In a letter to the Acting Director of the U.S. Office of Personnel and Management (OPM), the lawmakers called for a full breakdown of workers who have accepted the offer, the contracts that have been signed to better understand workers’ rights and benefits, and relayed concerns about how it will negatively impact government services.
“Federal employees are some of the hardest working, patriotic individuals in the country, working daily to ensure American families in every community can keep food on the table, a roof over their head, the lights on at night, and so much more,” said Congressman Cleaver. “As courts continue to review President Trump and Elon Musk’s so-called ‘deferred resignation’ proposal, it’s imperative that the Trump Administration provide all available information about these contracts, what protections are included to safeguard workers’ rights, and how this effort will impact critical government services that Missourians have come to rely on.”
More than 40,000 federal workers reside in Missouri’s Fifth Congressional District, with approximately 80,000 federal workers across the Kansas City region. Recent reports have suggested that more than 20,000 federal employees nationwide have opted in and accepted the offer, but the Administration has not disclosed further details. The letter requests, by the end of Feb. 19, 2025, a full breakdown of the number of federal employees who have accepted the offer by agency across states, territories, and congressional districts.
The official letter from lawmakers is available here.
Emanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Greenwood, Blue Springs, North Kansas City, Gladstone, and Claycomo. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee and Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance.