Charleston, WV - On February 6, 2025, the West Virginia Democratic Party called on Governor Patrick Morrisey to establish an Employment Task Force to assist the thousands of federal workers in West Virginia who may lose their jobs due to Donald Trump’s and Elon Musk’s plans to downsize the federal workforce.

“West Virginia is home to over 17,000 federal workers who provide vital services to our state and nation,” said West Virginia Democratic Party Chair Mike Pushkin. “If Trump and Musk have their way, these hardworking men and women could be out of a job, and West Virginia’s economy will take a devastating hit. We need a plan in place to protect them and their families.”

Senator Joey Garcia D-13 said: “My district is home to hundreds of dedicated federal employees who serve our nation every day-whether at the FBI Criminal Justice Information Services Division in Clarksburg, the Veterans Administration in Marion County, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in Fairmont, or other federal agencies across North Central West Virginia. These are hardworking West Virginians who protect our communities, care for our veterans, and contribute to critical research and public safety. If Donald Trump follows through on his plan to gut the federal workforce, it will devastate families in our region and weaken essential services that so many West Virginians rely on. Governor Morrisey needs to stand up for these workers.”

Pushkin urged Governor Morrisey to take immediate action by forming a bipartisan Employment Task Force that would:

• Identify the federal jobs at risk in West Virginia.

• Develop rapid-response job placement and retraining programs.

• Coordinate with state agencies, private sector employers, and labor unions to create pathways to new employment.

• Advocate for federal assistance to support displaced workers.

“We’ve seen this story before-outsiders making decisions that cost West Virginians their jobs, and politicians like Patrick Morrisey standing by, refusing to lift a finger,” said Pushkin. “This time, the Governor must step up and fight for our people instead of his billionaire buddies.”

West Virginia’s federal workforce includes VA hospital employees, law enforcement officers, mine safety inspectors, Bureau of the Public Debt, and scientific researchers-many of whom have dedicated their

careers to public service. These cuts would not only harm individual workers and their families but also weaken vital government functions that serve West Virginians.

“If Governor Morrisey is serious about protecting West Virginia jobs, he should stop rubber-stamping Trump’s reckless policies and start working on a plan to help the families who will suffer the consequences,” Pushkin concluded.