Interior Secretary Doug Burgum sent an email to agency staffers Friday assuring them that he understands the federal government shutdown now in its fifth week has created “a difficult situation” for furloughed employees.
“Many of you are facing real hardship,” Burgum wrote, referencing “missed paychecks, disrupted routines and the frustration of being unable to carry forward the work” that thousands of agency employees now on furlough once performed.
“Whether you serve in the field, in regional offices, or here in Washington, your absence is felt — not just in operations, but in spirit,” he wrote.
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But he added: “Your work matters. Your commitment matters. And even in this pause, your impact endures.”
