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WEBVTT BRANDI CUMMINGS HAS HER STORY. >> I’M DEFINITELY ANGRY. REPORTER: STEPHANIE MILLIKIN IS JUST ONE OF THE ESTIMATED 245,000 CALIFORNIANS NOT GETTING THEIR FEDERAL PAYCHECKS BECAUSE OF THE LONGEST GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN IN UNITED STATES HISTORY. >> AT THE END OF THE DAY I SHOULDN’T HAVE TO HAVE MY CHECK WITHHELD WHEN I’M DOING MY JOB. AND OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS ARE NOT DOING THEIR JOB AND THEY’RE STILL RECEIVING A PAYCHECK. REPORTER: MILLIKIN IS A 15 YEAR VETERAN BUREAU OF PRISONS EMPLOYEE, SERVES AS A UNION REP FOR AFGE LOCAL 358 TODAY THE UNION PRESIDENT PRAISED LAWMAKERS FOR PASSING S24, THE BILL TO GIVE FEDERAL WORKERS BACK PAY. THE BILL AWAITS PRESIDENT TRUMP’S SIGNATURE. >> IT’S VERY DIFFICULT. REPORTER: MILLIKIN’S STORY IS LIKE MANY OTHERS. >> I’M JUST TRYING TO BALANCE AND MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT WHAT TO PAY, WHAT NOT TO PAY VERSUS AM I STILL GOING TO HAVE MONEY LEFT OVER TO BE ABLE TO FEED MYSELF. MY RENT HERE WHERE I LIVE TAKES UP ONE PAYCHECK ALONE. REPORTER: THE UNEXPECTED FINANCIAL DESPAIR DIDN’T JUST START FOR MILLIKIN. PRIOR TO THE SHUT DOWN BACK IN NOVEMBER HER DAD GOT SICK. >> I NEVER LEFT HIS SIDE, I WAS OFF OF WORK THE ENTIRE TIME. REPORTER: FOR THREE WEEKS SHE STAYED IN THE BAKERSFIELD AREA TAKING 200 HOURS OF SICK LEAVE. IN DECEMBER HER DAD DIED. SHE TOOK OUT A $15,000 LOAN TO COVER FUNERAL EXPENSES AND GOT HOME DECEMBER 15. >> I WAS ANTICIPATING ON RETURNING BACK TO WORK. REPORTER: SHE DID, BUT FOR ONLY A WEEK. THE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN STARTED AND SHE’S BEEN AWAY FROM WORK. BUT EVEN WITH NO RESOLUTION IN SIGHT, SHE WILL SOON JOIN THOUSANDS OF OTHERS WORKING WITH NO PAY. >> TODAY I GOT A TEXT MESSAGE FROM MY SUPERVISOR ADVISING ME THAT I HAVE TO REPORT TO WORK TOMORROW. REPORTER: MILLIKIN IS STUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF WHAT’S BECOME POLITICAL BICKERING. SHE ISN’T TAKING SIDES. SHE JUST WANTS THE SHUTDOWN TO END AND GET PAID FOR HER HARD WORK. >> I BLAME THEM ALL. IT DOESN’T MATTER WHAT PARTY THAT YOU REPRESENT. THOSE INDIVIDUALS SHOULD BE ABLE TO COME TOGETHER AND COME UP WITH SOLUT

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The nation's longest government shutdown is now in its 25th day. Lawmakers were back on Capitol Hill on Monday, but they appeared to be no closer to reaching a compromise on funding a border wall.More than 800,000 federal workers missed their paychecks last Friday amid the shutdown. Stephanie Millikin is just one of the estimated 245,000 Californians not getting paid. “At the end of the day, I shouldn't have to have my check withheld when I’m doing my job and our elected officials are not doing their job but they're still receiving a paycheck,” she said. Millikin is a 15-year veteran Bureau of Prisons employee and serves as a union representative for AFGE local 3584. On Monday, the union president praised lawmakers for passing S. 24, the bill to give federal workers back pay. It now awaits President Donald Trump’s signature. Trump has said he rejects the idea of reopening the government while negotiations over funding for a border wall continue. However, Democrats are showing no signs of giving the president what he wants. Neither side appears willing to offer much compromise.Millikin's story is like many others -- federal employees who are on furlough or working without pay.“I’m just trying to balance and make decisions about what to pay, what not to pay versus am I still going to have money left over to be able to feed myself?” she said. “My rent here, where I live, takes up one paycheck alone.”The unexpected financial despair didn't just start for Millikin. Prior to the shutdown, in November, her dad got sick.“I never left his side, I was off of work the entire time,” she explained. For three weeks she stayed in the Bakersfield area, using 200 hours of sick leave. In December, her dad died. She took out a $15,000 loan to cover funeral expenses.When she returned home on Dec. 15, she said she anticipated returning to work. Millikin did, but only for a week. The government shutdown started, and since then, she’s been away from work.Now, even with no resolution in sight, she will soon join thousands of others working with no pay. “(Monday) I got a text message from my supervisor advising me that I have to report to work (Tuesday),” she said. Millikin is stuck in the middle of what's become political bickering. She’s not taking sides, but wants the shutdown to end and get paid for her work. “I blame them all,” she said. “It doesn't matter what party that you represent … those individuals should be able to come together and come up with solutions.”Gov. Gavin Newsom has directed the California Employment Development Department to streamline the processing of claims for affected federal workers.That means if furloughed workers file a claim and are approved, they could get state unemployment benefits. However, if federal workers get back pay, they are required to return the unemployment money.