When asked Thursday about reports of unpaid federal workers going to shelters for food during the ongoing partial government shutdown, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said they can get loans.
“I know they are, and I don’t really quite understand why,” Ross said on CNBC, referring to the trips for food. He was discussing the economic damage of the shutdown, which has stretched into a 34th day. Ross added the following:
Some credit unions that serve government employees are offering zero- or low-interest loans to affected workers during the shutdown. These workers are set to get back-pay once agencies reopen.
The remarks from Ross quickly attracted flak, with one critic tweeting: “I probably wouldn’t have billionaire Wilbur Ross out there doing my shutdown messaging.”
The current partial shutdown has been sparked by a dispute between President Trump and Democratic lawmakers over money for his proposed wall at the southern border. Two competing bills that would reopen the government are expected to fail to get enough votes on Thursday afternoon in the Senate, but the voting is still viewed as a step toward a spending deal — or cracks in the ice.