THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON

October 1, 2013

To the dedicated and hard-working employees of the United States Government:

The Federal Government is America’s largest employer, with more than 2 million civilian
workers and 1.4 million active duty military who serve in all 50 States and around the world.

But Congress has failed to meet its responsibility to pass a budget before the fiscal year that
begins today. And that means much of our Government must shut down effective today.

I want you to know that I will keep working to get Congress to reopen the Government, restart
vital services that the American people depend on, and allow public servants who have been sent
home to return to work. At my direction, your agencies should have reached out to you by now
about what a shutdown means for you and your families.

Today, I wanted to take a moment to tell you what you mean to me—and to our country.

That begins by saying thank you for the work you do every day—work that is vitally important
to our national security and to American families’ economic security. You defend our country
overseas and ensure that our troops receive the benefits they deserve when they come home.
You guard our borders and protect our civil rights. You help small businesses expand and gain
new footholds in overseas markets. You guide hundreds of thousands of people each day
through the glory of America’s national parks and monuments, from Yosemite to the Statue of
Liberty. And much more.

You do all this in a political climate that, too often in recent years, has treated you like a
punching bag. You have endured three years of a Federal pay freeze, harmful sequester cuts, and
now, a shutdown of our Government. And yet, you persevere, continuing to serve the American
people with passion, professionalism, and skill.

None of this is fair to you. And should it continue, it will make it more difficult to keep
attracting the kind of driven, patriotic, idealistic Americans to public service that our citizens
deserve and that our system of self-government demands.

Public service is noble. Public service is important. And by choosing public service, you carry
on a proud tradition at the heart of some of this country’s greatest and most lasting achievements.
In fact, more than 50 current or former Federal employees have received the Nobel Prize for
their efforts. It was grants from the Department of Energy that helped businesses unlock new
sources of renewable energy, and from the National Science Foundation that helped


entrepreneurs like the founders of Google change the world. It is your efforts that will help this
country meet the great challenge of our time—trebuilding an economy where all who work hard
can get ahead.

So while the budget fights in Washington are too often partisan, your service to the country must
never be. As one of my predecessors, President George H.W. Bush, once said, “There is nothing
more fulfilling than to serve your country and your fellow citizens and to do it well. And that is
what our system of self-government depends on.”

This shutdown was completely preventable. It should not have happened. And the House of
Representatives can end it as soon as it follows the Senate’s lead, and funds your work in the
United States Government without trying to attach highly controversial and partisan measures in
the process.

Hopefully, we will resolve this quickly. In the meantime, I want you to know—whether you are
a young person who just joined public service because you want to make a difference, or a career
employee who has dedicated your life to that pursuit—you and your families remain at the front
of my mind. Your agency leaders and I will continue to defend your work at a time when that
work has rarely been more important. We will continue to work with your agencies to keep you
and your families apprised and informed of what is happening. And I will continue to do
everything in my power to get the House of Representatives to allow our Government to reopen
as quickly as possible, and make sure you receive the pay that you have earned.

Thank you, again, for your service, your sacrifice, and everything you do every day for this
country we love so much.

Sincerely,