Senator Ron Johnson on Bipartisan Compromise for Federal Workers' Pay

Bipartisan Agreement on Federal Pay Bill

• 🤝 Senator Ron Johnson expressed optimism about reaching a bipartisan agreement on a bill to pay essential federal workers, noting significant common ground with Democratic colleagues.
• 💡 He highlighted that the primary sticking point was the duration of the bill, with discussions focusing on removing the permanent bank holiday and addressing the reduction in force.
• ✅ Johnson is committed to working with Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin and Senator Ben Cardin's staff over the weekend to amend his bill and secure Democratic support.

Addressing Partisanship and Brinkmanship

• 🗣️ Johnson urged an end to partisan politics and brinkmanship, emphasizing the need to find areas of agreement, particularly on issues affecting federal employees.
• ⚖️ He contrasted the approach to the federal pay bill with the broader government funding debate, where he sees little room for compromise due to differing spending proposals.
• 🎯 The goal is to pass a continuing resolution at current spending levels, which he believes is a reasonable offer that Democrats have historically supported.

Path Forward for Legislation

• 🗓️ Johnson believes the federal pay bill could be fixed over the weekend and potentially passed early the following week, with the House of Representatives expected to reconvene to vote on it.
• 🏛️ He stressed that the way to make law is to secure 60 votes for cloture and then work towards passage, rather than objecting to amendments that could prevent a bill from moving forward.
• 🚀 The senator views passing this bill as a demonstration of how to find agreement and pass legislation, even on complex issues.