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WASHINGTON –Frontline federal employees from around the country gathered in a steady rain on the grounds of the U.S. Capitol Wednesday to advocate on behalf of the federal workforce and call attention to critical issues impacting civil servants across the nation.

The National Treasury Employees Union organized the lunch-hour rally that featured supportive speeches from the leaders of several labor unions and members of Congress.

“Today we gather to speak out against the administration’s attacks on federal employes and the agencies that provide critical services to the American people,” said NTEU National President Doreen Greenwald. “We will not back down. We will hold the line. And we will continue to stand strong and serve the nation with pride and determination.”

The rally was part of NTEU’s annual Legislative Conference, where about 350 chapter leaders come to Washington to meet with their members of Congress and advocate for a range of issues that are important to frontline federal workers, including pay, agency funding and maintaining a merit-based civil service.

The rally was well attended by Members of Congress, including:

Senator Chris Van Hollen

Senator Mark Warner

Senator Mazie Hirono

Representative Steny Hoyer

Representative Nikki Budzinski 

Representative Norma Torres

Representative Dina Titus

Representative Luz Rivas

Representative Lucy McBath

Representative Shri Thanedar 

Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz 

Representative Greg Landsman

Representative LaMonica McIver 

Representative Kweisi Mfume

Representative Jan Schakowsky

Representative Herb Conway

Representative Bill Foster

Representative Judy Chu

“I am proud to be your voice when it comes to fighting back against attacks on working families and organized labor,” said Rep. Lucy McBath, D-Ga.. “You are not powerless. That’s the reason why you are here in the rain and there is power in your union and there is power in the people and we are your allies in Congress.”

Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., thanked NTEU for spreading the word about how the so-called Department of Government Efficiency, run by a private sector billionaire, is dismantling the federal government and hobbling agencies’ ability to carry out their important public missions.

“We’re going to fight them in the courts, fight them in Congress and fight them in communities all over the country,” Van Hollen said. “A little rain is not going to get in the way of our effort to shut down these illegal operations. Thank you for being in this fight for our country and the Constitution. Thank you, federal workers for all the great work you do on behalf of our country.”

NTEU represents employees in 37 federal agencies and offices. NTEU was joined by fellow union partners the AFL-CIO, American Federation of Government Employees, Professional Aviation Safety Specialists, and the National Federation of Federal Employees.