Furloughed contractors take unpaid bills to senator Furloughed contract workers in the US take their unpaid bills to the office of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to highlight the economic struggles they are facing during the partial government shutdown, which is now in its 26th day. Security officers and custodians, in charge of securing and cleaning government buildings, did not receive back pay during previous shutdowns, unlike direct federal employees. IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES