The Congressional Progressive Staff Association, facing criticism from both political parties, announced on Friday that it was withdrawing its letter to congressional leadership. "The Congressional Progressive Staff Association hereby withdraws its recent letter to congressional leadership on a rotating 32-hour workweek," the group stated, as reported by Politico.
The group admitted that their proposal had not effectively communicated the dedication of the staffers to "serving the American people no matter how many hours it takes to get the job done." They also acknowledged the existence of "well-known, longstanding workplace issues that deserve Congress’s immediate attention" and suggested that there are "myriad ways Congress can address these issues. Right now, a 32-hour workweek for staff will not be one of them."
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The proposal had been met with widespread disapproval. Tim Hogan, a former Hill staffer and Democratic communications consultant, responded with a dismissive, "lol read the room guys." Similarly, Rep. Ritchie Torres questioned the audacity of the proposal, saying, "Why not be bold and ask for a 32-hour workweek? I wonder how blue-collar Americans would feel about white-collar workers demanding a 32-hour workweek."
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From the conservative side, GOP Rep Chip Roy firmly rejected the idea, stating, "No. I was a staffer. I worked 100 hours a week and loved it. I once pulled back to back all nighters to kill a really bad bill. I’d do it again. Grow up." Rep Kat Cammack also voiced her disapproval, arguing that taxpayers deserve full-time dedication from public servants. "You want to work 32 hours but get paid for 40? Nope. The taxpayers aka your boss, deserve folks who hustle and work hard FULL TIME on their behalf. This is public service after all," she wrote.