Pressley Has Led Efforts in Congress to Halt Terminations and Protect Federal Workers

Massachusetts is Home to Over 46,000 Dedicated Federal Employees

Text of Letter (PDF)

BOSTON – Today, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) led her colleagues in the Massachusetts congressional delegation in a letter to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) sharply criticizing and demanding answers about the impact of the Musk-Trump Administration’s mass firings of federal workers in Massachusetts. Congresswoman Pressley has led efforts in Congress to halt terminations and protect federal workers, and her letter comes as Elon Musk’s “DOGE” initiative continues its unjust and unlawful terminations of federal workers across the country, threatening the over 46,000 federal employees serving in Massachusetts.

“Our Commonwealth is home to more than 46,000 federal employees who play an essential role in safeguarding the health, safety, and economic well-being of Massachusetts. These indiscriminate cuts threaten the core functioning of critical federal services and will harm our constituents,” the lawmakers wrote in their letter to Acting OPM Director Charles Ezell. “We request that you provide detailed and complete information regarding federal employees in Massachusetts who have been terminated, placed on leave, transferred, or subjected to a reduction in force (RIF) as part of this purge.”

In their letter, the lawmakers outlined the harmful attacks on federal workers that the Administration has taken since January 20, 2025, including offering employees a so-called “deferred resignation,” indiscriminately terminating federal employees in their probationary period, and ordering mass layoffs across the federal government under the guise of “efficiency.” The lawmakers also noted that every Department of Education employee in the Boston regional office has been fired, while nearly 10,000 employees at the Department of Veterans Affairs in Massachusetts now face threats from downsizing efforts.

“The Administration’s executive overreach undermines federal agencies, including in critical areas of disaster preparedness, public health, public safety, and national security,” the lawmakers continued. “These attacks on public servants and the communities they support are unacceptable, and our constituents deserve better.”

The lawmakers requested OPM provide the following information by April 4, 2025:

• The number of federal employees in Massachusetts since January 20, 2025, that have been terminated, placed on administrated leave, taken early retirement, or been subject to a RIF broken down by agency, county, congressional district, GS level, and average length of federal service;
• The number of veterans who held positions with the federal government in Massachusetts since January 20, 2025, that have been terminated, placed on administrated leave, taken early retirement, or been subject to a RIF broken down by agency, county, congressional district, GS level, and average length of federal service;
• The number of federal employees in Massachusetts that have accepted the Administration’s “deferred resignation” offer broken down by agency, county, congressional district, GS level, and average length of federal service; and
• A detailed plan explaining how OPM will work with agencies and our state government to ensure that RIFs do not result in delays or disruptions to programs and benefits, including but not limited to Medicare, Social Security, and Medicaid.

Joining Congresswoman Pressley in sending this letter are Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Edward J. Markey (D-MA), along with Representatives Richard E. Neal (MA-01), James P. McGovern (MA-02), Stephen F. Lynch (MA-08), William Keating (MA-09), Katherine Clark (MA-05), Seth Moulton (MA-06), Lori Trahan (MA-03), and Jake Auchincloss (MA-04).

A copy of the letter is available here.

Last month, Rep. Pressley led 85 lawmakers in writing to the Office of Special Counsel (OSC) urging OSC to ensure all unfairly fired civil servants are immediately rehired and protected from greater abuse, and she has applauded numerous court rulings mandating their reinstatement.

Congresswoman Pressley was also proud to welcome Claire Bergstresser, an Everett constituent, dedicated public servant, AFGE union member, and terminated HUD worker as her guest to the presidential joint address to Congress.

Congresswoman Pressley has been a leading voice in Congress speaking out against Elon Musk and Donald Trump’s unprecedented assault on our democracy and federal agencies, and she has been a steadfast advocate for protecting the essential services that federal workers and agencies provide.

• On March 11, 2025, Rep. Pressley spoke out against the U.S. Department of Education’s mass layoffs of over 1,300 workers, which effectively guts the agency.
• On March 11, 2025, Rep. Pressley voted against Republicans’ shameful government budget bill, which would harm vulnerable families and provide a blank check for Elon Musk and Donald Trump to continue their unprecedented assault on our democracy. She later issued a statement condemning its final passage in the Senate.
• On March 11, 2025, Rep. Pressley joined 13 of her colleagues on a letter to the Department of Homeland Security demanding answers and the immediate release of Columbia student Mahmoud Khalil, whose illegal abduction is an attack on his constitutional right to free speech and due process.
• On March 4, 2025, Rep. Pressley walked out of the House chamber in protest during Donald Trump’s presidential joint address to Congress.
• On March 4, 2025, Rep. Pressley welcomed Claire Bergstresser, an Everett constituent, dedicated public servant, AFGE union member, and former HUD worker who was unjustly terminated as part of Musk and Trump’s assault on federal agencies as her guest to the presidential joint address to Congress.
• On February 28, 2025, Rep. Pressley led 85 lawmakers in a letter urging the Office of Special Counsel to immediate reinstate and expand protections for all unfairly fired federal workers.
• On February 28, 2025, Rep. Pressley joined over 200 Democrats in filing an amicus brief defending the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau before a U.S. District Court.
• On February 26, 2025, in a House Oversight Committee hearing, Rep. Pressley discussed what true government efficiency looks like and denounced Elon Musk and Donald Trump for utilizing DOGE to gut the essential services that keep people safe, fed, and housed.
• On February 25, 2025, in a House Oversight Committee hearing, Rep. Pressley condemned Elon Musk’s abuse of government efficiency through the fraudulent Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
• On February 25, 2025, Rep. Pressley delivered a floor speech in which she railed against Republicans’ cruel budget resolution that would slash Medicaid by nearly $1 trillion.
• On February 20, 2025, Rep. Pressley and her Haiti Caucus Co-Chairs issued a statement condemning the Trump Administration’s decision to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haiti.
• On February 13, 2025, in a House Financial Services Committee hearing, Rep. Pressley emphasized the critical role of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) in safeguarding consumers and sharply criticized Donald Trump and Elon Musk for halting the critical work of the agency.
• On February 10, 2025, Rep. Pressley rallied with Senator Elizabeth Warren, Ranking Member Maxine Waters, and advocates to protest Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s unlawful takeover of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB)
• On February 11, 2025, in a House Financial Services Committee hearing, Rep. Pressley criticized the Trump-Musk administration for halting the critical work of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) with crypto scams on the rise.
• On February 10, 2025, Rep. Pressley issued a statement slamming the Trump Administration’s harmful cuts to National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding to support hospitals, universities, and research institutions conducting lifesaving research.
• On February 10, 2025, as Trump and Musk threaten to dismantle the essential work of the U.S. Department of Education, Rep.  Pressley delivered a powerful floor speech to affirm the role of public education in American democracy.
• On February 6, 2025, in a House Oversight Committee hearing, Rep. Pressley delivered a powerful rebuke of Republicans’ efforts to gut diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives and eliminate essential services for vulnerable communities.
• On February 5, 2025, Rep. Pressley rallied outside the U.S. Department of Treasury to protest Elon Musk’s unlawful assault on federal agencies and our democracy.
• On January 30, 2025, Rep. Pressley slammed Donald Trump for blaming the tragic plane crash at Reagan National Airport, which killed over 60 people, including some families from Massachusetts, on diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.
• In January 2025, Rep. Pressley issued a statement slamming Trump’s illegal freeze on federal grants and loans and its harmful impact on vulnerable communities.
• On January 23, 2025, Rep. Pressley delivered an impassioned floor speech condemning Republicans’ cruel anti-abortion bill that criminalizes providers and denies families care.
• On January 23, 2025, Rep. Pressley joined her colleagues to reintroduce the Neighbors Not Enemies Act, a bill to repeal an outdated law that has been used to target innocent immigrants without due process rights.
• On January 22, 2025, Rep. Pressley issued a statement condemning the Trump Administration’s harmful executive actions on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).

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