The White House statement: Today, I send my warmest greetings to Americans across our great Nation celebrating Diwali, the Festival of Lights. During this special time, families gather around flickering diyas, homes shine with the warmth of ancient traditions, and countless communities glow with the beauty of a celebration thousands of years in the making.
From the White House (whitehouse.gov): presidential actions, fact sheets, statements, releases and published strategy documents. U.S. government works, public domain. Read the statement.
BLS counted 2,677,000 federal employees in October 2026, 333,000 (11.1%) fewer than in January 2025. PEPI tracks 5 presidential actions aimed at government workers; 3 were carried out in full. Since the newest, on June 10, 2026, the count is down 8,000. Civic Forecast calculation from BLS series CES9091000001 and PEPI's ledger of actions aimed at government workers; timing, not cause.
The median two-bedroom home costs $1,263 a month, 19.2% of a full-time paycheck, below the 30% the federal government treats as affordable. Average private-sector pay was $38 an hour in October 2026, or $6,587 a month before tax. Civic Forecast calculation from Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings and HUD Fair Market Rents (2027). Gross of tax, on a 2,080-hour year.
