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Fight intensifies to save health benefits for FBI and feds harmed by shutdown

Thousands would then be forced to wait until the end of the year to re-enroll, or pay for their benefits immediately from their own pockets.

WASHINGTON, D.C., USA — A day after the FBI Agents Association called financial insecurity within the Bureau a matter of national security, four U.S. senators excoriated the federal government’s inability to protect health benefits for agents and nearly 800,000 workers directly impacted by the shutdown.

The benefits for the unpaid federal workforce, specifically dental and vision insurance, will expire Friday for employees and their families if the shutdown persists.

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Thousands would then be forced to wait until the end of the year to re-enroll, or pay for their benefits immediately from their own pockets.

A letter submitted by Virginia and Maryland’s delegation to the Senate urged the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to ensure coverage would continue – delivering a message largely eschewing terms of Congressional congeniality.

“If the status quo persists, you are undoubtedly risking the health and wellness of federal workers, their spouses and children enrolled in the federal vision and dental plans,” said Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-Va), Time Kaine (D-Va), Ben Cardin (D-Md) and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md).

“Your guidance to employees has been insufficient and fails to account for the significant financial strain already placed on these employees and their families.”

Payments for the plans would normally be deducted from employee paychecks – which have now ceased for 33 days.

RELATED: FBI agents in danger of losing health benefits if shutdown persists

OPM oversees the BENEFEDS vision and dental plans, and is now directing enrollees to “pay premiums directly billed to him/her on a timely basis to ensure continuation of coverage.”

“The issue with that is, there are agents who don't have any money,” said FBI Agents Association President Tom O’Connor in an interview.

“It's embarrassing, it's disgusting, and it's shameful.”

While the same scenario is shared by all 800,000 federal workers going without pay, the financial strain adds a new layer of uncertainty for the FBI.

Rigorous and routine background checks evaluate agents’ finances across the Bureau, potentially putting security clearances in jeopardy if financial strains are found.

“There is no question, no question, that as this goes forward, that the impact on the FBI is a national security issue,” O’Connor said. “We need to end the foolish shutdown, now.”

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