If the government shuts down on October 1, the White House says it will use the opportunity to issue permanent layoff notices to federal workers. These cuts would target programs the president does not support, including public broadcasting, clean energy, and foreign aid.

This is not about saving money. It’s about using a funding crisis to dismantle programs that Congress already approved and Americans rely on.

In past shutdowns, federal workers were temporarily furloughed and brought back once a deal was reached. This time, the White House has said it wants to make those layoffs permanent. These are jobs that support public services across the country, and they are being put at risk for political reasons.

Programs like the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and clean energy funding exist because Congress voted to create and fund them. No administration should be able to fire civil servants or eliminate programs just because it doesn’t agree with them.

This plan would hurt workers, cut off public services, and set a dangerous precedent for future shutdowns. It is not how democracy is supposed to work.

We call on Congress, federal agency leaders, and the courts to reject any plan that uses a shutdown as cover for political layoffs. These decisions should be based on law, not ideology.

Sign this petition if you believe the government should not use shutdowns to eliminate public programs or fire workers based on politics.

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