SIGN NOW: Trump is trying to punish air traffic controllers, pollution inspectors, and park rangers for a shutdown he caused. Tell him he needs to pay the workers who keep our country running >>

SIGN THE PETITION

John, Trump’s reckless shutdown is already hitting hardworking Americans – not the politicians in Washington, but the people who keep our country safe and running every day.

Air traffic controllers are working without pay. [1] Pollution inspectors are being told to stay home. [2] National Park staff are being forced to leave the parks they protect. [3]

And now, President Trump [4] and Speaker Johnson [5] are threatening to illegally withhold their backpay. These workers didn’t cause this shutdown. But they’re the ones paying the price, and so are all of us.

Trump thinks that the more painful he makes his shutdown, the sooner Democrats in Congress will cave. But the American people won’t fall for his bait and switch. We know exactly who’s to blame – and we’re standing together to demand better.

Sign the Petition: Tell Trump and Republicans in Congress to pay the essential workers keeping us safe >>

SIGN THE PETITION

Here’s the thing: Trump already signed a law in 2019 guaranteeing that federal employees would be paid during any shutdown. [6] It passed with bipartisan support – a clear agreement that workers shouldn’t be punished when politicians fail to do their jobs.

Now, Trump and Speaker Mike Johnson are threatening to break that promise.

They’re trying to use more than 750,000 people’s paychecks as leverage [7] – holding hostage the same workers who keep our skies safe, our water & air clean, and our parks open.

The law is clear: these workers must be paid. Trump and Johnson need to stop playing games, follow the law they helped pass, and come to the table to end this shutdown once and for all.

SIGN THE PETITION: Tell Trump and Republicans in Congress to follow the law and pay the people who keep America running >>

Thanks for all you do,

The team at Common Cause

[1] https://thehill.com/policy/transportation/5542298-airport-controller-staffing-shortage-government-shutdown/

[2] https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/how-a-shutdown-affects-the-epas-effort-to-protect-americas-air-water-and-land

[3] https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy0v4l897z2o

[4] https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/10/07/trump-furloughed-federal-workers-backpay-shutdown/86566656007/

[5] https://www.newsweek.com/government-shutdown-furlough-federal-employees-back-pay-10841147

[6] https://www.npr.org/2025/10/07/g-s1-92363/omb-memo-shutdown-federal-worker-backpay

[7] https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/750000-federal-employees-could-be-furloughed-daily-in-shutdown-cbo-estimates