As the shutdown drags on, some Congress members are looking at alternatives for securing pay and benefits for federal employees affected by the funding lapse.

Mark Cochran is a National Park Service employee and the president of the union that represents park service employees throughout the Northeast.

The Trump administration says it has started the process of issuing "substantial" reduction-in-force notices to federal employees. Court filings suggest around 4,200 affected so far.

As the federal government shutdown entered day 20, the National Nuclear Security Administration temporarily laid off 1,400 of its employees Monday. Another 400 continue to go to work “to support

But Saturday’s event also was an opportunity for dozens of participating federal employees, many of whom have lost their jobs and seen their years of experience be discarded, to come together. “Connecting in person with people matters,