All Roll Calls
Yes: 107 • No: 88
S3012119th CongressWALLET
Shutdown Fairness Act
Sponsored By: Senator Ron Johnson
Introduced
Summary
This bill would ensure that excepted federal employees continue to receive their normal pay and benefits during government funding gaps. It authorizes temporary Treasury funding to pay standard rates of pay, allowances, pay differentials, benefits, and other regular payments for excepted work starting in fiscal year 2026.
Show full summary
- Federal workers and families: Employees designated as "excepted" or performing Office of Personnel Management defined emergency work would receive their usual pay, allowances, and benefits for work done during an appropriations lapse.
- Contractors and active-duty service members: Contractors required by an agency to support excepted work and members of the Armed Forces on active duty are included and may receive payments tied to that work.
- Agency budgeting and accounting: The Treasury would provide necessary sums out of available funds during gaps, but agencies must charge those obligations to their regular appropriations when full-year appropriations or a continuing resolution covering those purposes are later enacted. Availability of temporary funds ends once such appropriations are in place.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
Keep pay for excepted workers
If enacted, agencies would get Treasury money to pay covered workers during funding lapses starting in fiscal year 2026. You would be paid normal pay, differentials, allowances, and benefits if your agency designates you as excepted. Contractors required to work during a lapse and active-duty military would also be paid for that work. The funds would be “such sums as are necessary” from the Treasury until Congress passes appropriations for that agency for the fiscal year. The bill would take effect as if enacted on September 30, 2025.
Limits on temporary shutdown pay
If enacted, agency heads could not use the temporary pay authority while a continuing appropriation is in effect for the same purpose. The temporary authority would end when Congress enacts final or continuing appropriations for that fiscal year, whether those appropriations include these payments or not. Any spending made under the temporary authority must be charged to the regular agency appropriation once that law passes. This changes how agencies may obligate and account for shutdown pay.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Ron Johnson
WI • R
Cosponsors
Ted Budd
NC • R
Sponsored 10/15/2025
Bill Cassidy
LA • R
Sponsored 10/15/2025
Mike Crapo
ID • R
Sponsored 10/15/2025
Tom Cotton
AR • R
Sponsored 10/15/2025
James Risch
ID • R
Sponsored 10/15/2025
Dan Sullivan
AK • R
Sponsored 10/15/2025
Todd Young
IN • R
Sponsored 10/15/2025
Mike Lee
UT • R
Sponsored 10/20/2025
John Barrasso
WY • R
Sponsored 10/20/2025
John Hoeven
ND • R
Sponsored 10/20/2025
David McCormick
PA • R
Sponsored 10/20/2025
Rick Scott
FL • R
Sponsored 10/21/2025
James Lankford
OK • R
Sponsored 10/22/2025
Roll Call Votes
senate vote • 11/7/2025
On Cloture on the Motion to Proceed S. 3012
Yes: 53 • No: 43
senate vote • 10/23/2025
On Cloture on the Motion to Proceed S. 3012
Yes: 54 • No: 45
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