In committee
Shutdown Fairness Act
This bill ensures that federal employees, military personnel, and required government contractors continue receiving their regular pay and benefits on their normal pay dates during a government shutdown. Both working employees and those placed on unpaid furlough are covered, and staff are directed to continue their typical job duties to the greatest extent possible. Once Congress passes regular or temporary agency funding, the money used for paychecks during the shutdown is deducted from those future agency budgets.
People affected—Not determinable from the text provided; applies broadly to executive, legislative, judicial, and military personnel as well as covered contractors, but no specific population counts are stated.
Fiscal magnitude—no CBO estimate published
Reach70provisional · pending reviewrigor: heuristic llm
What this bill touches.
Spending vs. restraint+35Role of government+40Workplace standards+50
Who it helps · who it burdens.
Who it helps
- Covered federal contractorsReceives contract payments during federal government funding lapses for required work performed in support of federal operations.
- Federal employees and military service membersReceives regular pay, allowances, and benefits on their normal scheduled pay dates during any federal government shutdown or funding lapse, even if furloughed.
Who it burdens
- Covered federal employees and contractor personnelRequired to continue performing typical work duties to the maximum extent practicable during a government shutdown.
- Federal agencies and agency headsMandated to process and disburse standard employee compensation during shutdowns on regular pay dates, barred from transferring or reprogramming emergency compensation funds, and required to charge these expenses against future regular appropriations once enacted.
Who backs it
- United States TreasuryAppropriates necessary funds directly from unappropriated Treasury funds to finance employee compensation and contractor obligations during government shutdowns.