Local workers voice their concerns over federal job cuts

PHOENIXVILLE, Pennsylvania (WPVI) -- The Phoenixville Colonial Theatre was at capacity on Monday night as hundreds gathered for a town hall with Democratic 6th District Congresswoman Chrissy Houlahan.

A major focus of the town hall was the thousands of layoffs by Elon Musk's and President Donald Trump's Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE.

"I'm terrified of what's going on in our country," said Kelly Walker of Sanatoga.

"We really have to get as active as we can to speak out and protest," said Carol Hanson of Chester Springs.

Houlahan said she agrees with the concept of rooting out fraud, waste, and abuse but questions how it's being done.

"My message is to hang in there. A lot of people are working and fighting for you. A lot is still up in the air," Houlahan said.

On Monday night, Musk renewed his threat that he would fire any federal workers who do not respond to an email asking them to list five things they accomplished last week.

Several government agencies, including the FBI and State Department, have told their employees not to respond to the email.

Musk wrote that "failure to respond a second time will result in termination."

"I thought it was great because we have people who don't show up for work, and no one knows if they work for the government," said President Trump, backing Musk.

Outside Independence Hall on Monday, members of the American Federation of Government Workers held a rally calling the terminations illegal.

Democratic Congressman Brendan Boyle says the cuts could have a devastating impact - pointing to 400 recent layoffs at the Pennsylvania IRS office.

"These are not federal jobs, these are Pennsylvania jobs. These are Philadelphia jobs," Boyle told the crowd.

Independence Mall is among the national parks to lose rangers in the layoffs.

Many of the fired workers received a letter accusing them of not meeting performance standards.

"Many of them had never had a performance review," Boyle said.