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October 10, 2025

Ranking Member Lofgren Slams Trump White House for Start of Illegal Firings of Public Servants During Shutdown

(Washington, DC) – Today, the Trump White House announced that reductions in force (RIFs) have begun, blaming the Republican-forced government shutdown. The Trump administration threatened RIFs of federal employees if Congress did not fund the government, despite an overwhelming consensus among legal experts that firing public servants during a government shutdown is illegal.

“This is illegal and it cannot stand,” said Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren (D-CA). “Pretending these public servants have been put in the crosshairs because of the shutdown is a pathetic attempt to blame Democrats for what the Trump administration has been doing all along—destroying science agencies at great cost to every American’s health and prosperity. If you are a federal scientist and have a been served a RIF notice, you can notify me and my staff confidentially via the Science Committee Democrats’ Whistleblower form. My staff and I remain extremely focused on our investigations and oversight duties.”

The Science Committee Democrats’ Whistleblower form can be accessed here.