WASHINGTON (7News) — In a recent joint session of Congress, members from the D.C. area welcomed former federal employees as special guests. Among them was Ashley Ranalli, a former ranger with the National Park Service (NPS), who attended at the invitation of Senator Mark Warner (D-Va.).
Ashley is no stranger to hard work. After teaching for 15 years, she pursued her dream job as a park ranger. “About five years ago, I made the leap. It was a tough path. Most rangers start young, and it usually takes years to secure a permanent position. It felt like winning the lottery when I finally got my chance,” she said. To make it happen, she juggled two jobs, balancing teaching by day with her new role in public service.
Unfortunately, her dream was short-lived. Just last month, she and approximately 1,000 colleagues at NPS were laid off due to federal workforce cuts. “I couldn’t believe it. All my hard work was gone in an instant,” she shared. With tears in her eyes, she expressed how much the job meant to her, saying, “It was more than just a job. It was a part of my identity. I loved protecting our national resources.”
Adding to her heartbreak, Ranalli was confused by the reasons for her termination. Despite receiving a glowing performance review just before her firing, she learned that “performance issues” were cited for her layoff. “It doesn’t make sense. We were all let go for reasons that simply weren’t true. All of us had great records and reviews,” Ranalli lamented.
Her situation is even more difficult as a thyroid cancer survivor without health insurance now. She worries about how this layoff will look on her resume as she seeks new employment. “I left my teaching job for this, and I was making more money with better benefits back then. Now, I’m left with nothing. It’s devastating to lose something you cared about so deeply,” she explained.
The struggles of the local community are echoed by Senator Warner, who noted that the D.C. area, including Northern Virginia and Maryland, is home to around 450,000 federal workers, or 20% of the nation’s federal workforce. “These are hard times. My constituents are feeling the impact of reckless cuts to our government,” he noted, emphasizing how these layoffs hurt dedicated workers like Ashley. “She had finally landed her dream job and was fired without any real justification.”
Freshman Congressman Eugene Vindman, also concerned about the ongoing reductions, shared the same worries. He invited Joyce Connery, a former federal worker who retired before the cuts hit her agency. She expressed her dismay at the treatment of employees during this process. “The way the administration talks about federal workers is disheartening. These people work hard for less than what they could earn in the private sector,” Connery stated.
Connery emphasized that the expertise of federal workers is vital for national security, and cuts to agencies like hers jeopardize that safety. “Demonizing employees like Joyce is harmful to our country,” Vindman commented.
As President Trump prepares to speak, former employees like Ranalli and Connery sit in the audience, anxious to hear what he has to say. Ranalli won’t be empty-handed, bringing her cherished park ranger hat with her. “On my hat, I have pictures of friends who lost their jobs like I did,” she shared. “I’m here to represent them and fight for all of us who loved our work. We didn’t deserve this.”
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Federal workers,Trump speech,Congress,National Park Service,Workforce cuts,Performance review,Health insurance,National security
