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119-hr-5801119th CongressWALLET

Shutdown Fairness Act

Sponsored By: Representative Johnson, Dusty [R-SD-At Large]

Introduced

Summary

Provides temporary Treasury funding to keep pay and benefits flowing for federal workers during funding lapses. It would let agency heads use unobligated money in the Treasury to provide standard pay, allowances, differentials, benefits, and other payments to covered workers when interim or full-year appropriations are not in effect. The rule applies in fiscal year 2026 and later and takes effect retroactively to September 30, 2025.

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  • Federal employees: Excepted employees who work during a lapse could receive their normal pay, allowances, and other regularly payable benefits for the period they perform excepted work.
  • Contractors: Contractors required by an agency head to support excepted operations can be treated as eligible for payments for work performed during a lapse.
  • Active duty military: Members of the Armed Forces on active duty performing excepted work are included in the coverage.
  • Agency operations: Agency heads may draw from any unobligated Treasury funds until appropriations are enacted and must charge obligations to the applicable appropriation once a regular appropriations bill or continuing resolution becomes law.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.

Paycheck protection for shutdown workers and troops

If enacted, required federal workers would keep normal pay, allowances, and benefits during a funding lapse. Contractors who are required to work to support those employees, and active-duty service members, would also be paid. This would apply in fiscal year 2026 and later, and would take effect as if on September 30, 2025. During a lapse when no regular or stopgap funding is in effect for your agency, the agency could draw needed pay from Treasury funds not otherwise appropriated. These backstop payments would end once Congress passes regular or continuing funding for your agency, and the costs would be charged to that funding.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Johnson, Dusty [R-SD-At Large]

SD • R

Cosponsors

  • Rep. Mackenzie, Ryan [R-PA-7]

    PA • R

    Sponsored 10/21/2025

  • Rep. Wied, Tony [R-WI-8]

    WI • R

    Sponsored 10/21/2025

  • Rep. Bice, Stephanie I. [R-OK-5]

    OK • R

    Sponsored 10/21/2025

  • Rep. Issa, Darrell [R-CA-48]

    CA • R

    Sponsored 10/21/2025

  • Rep. Lawler, Michael [R-NY-17]

    NY • R

    Sponsored 10/21/2025

  • Rep. Mann, Tracey [R-KS-1]

    KS • R

    Sponsored 10/21/2025

  • Rep. Scott, Austin [R-GA-8]

    GA • R

    Sponsored 10/21/2025

  • Rep. Miller-Meeks, Mariannette [R-IA-1]

    IA • R

    Sponsored 10/21/2025

  • Rep. Wittman, Robert J. [R-VA-1]

    VA • R

    Sponsored 10/24/2025

  • Rep. Messmer, Mark B. [R-IN-8]

    IN • R

    Sponsored 10/24/2025

  • Rep. Steil, Bryan [R-WI-1]

    WI • R

    Sponsored 10/24/2025

  • Rep. Davidson, Warren [R-OH-8]

    OH • R

    Sponsored 10/24/2025

  • Rep. Meuser, Daniel [R-PA-9]

    PA • R

    Sponsored 10/24/2025

  • Rep. Allen, Rick W. [R-GA-12]

    GA • R

    Sponsored 10/24/2025

  • Rep. Shreve, Jefferson [R-IN-6]

    IN • R

    Sponsored 10/28/2025

  • Rep. Schmidt, Derek [R-KS-2]

    KS • R

    Sponsored 10/31/2025

  • Rep. Bacon, Don [R-NE-2]

    NE • R

    Sponsored 2/11/2026

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

View on Congress.gov
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