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Federal layoffs day or two away, says budget director

Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russell Vought told House Republicans in a Wednesday call that layoffs of federal workers will be coming in a day or two, according to sources on the call.

© Greg Nash

The call came on day one of a government shutdown as Democrats in Congress have rejected a short-term Republican funding plan and are making demands like extending enhanced ObamaCare tax credits.

Vought hinted at the layoffs in a memo last week — as the government shutdown loomed — that directed agencies to “use this opportunity to consider reduction in force (RIF) notices for all employees in programs, projects, or activities” that met certain conditions in a shutdown.

That memo was widely seen as an atte

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