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RuleLabor DepartmentFederal Contract Compliance Programs OfficeSignificant Wallet
119-hr-7322119th CongressWALLET
True Shutdown Fairness Act
Sponsored By: Representative Walkinshaw, James R. [D-VA-11]
Introduced
Summary
Guarantee pay for federal and contract workers during FY2026 funding gaps. This bill would let agency heads draw Treasury funds to keep "standard employee compensation" flowing to covered federal employees and to reimburse contractors so contract workers receive their usual pay, allowances, and benefits during any lapse in FY2026 appropriations.
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- Covered federal employees would receive their normal pay and benefits during an FY2026 lapse. If a lapse is already happening when the law is enacted, agencies must provide compensation as soon as practicable and no later than 7 days after enactment.
- Contract workers whose duties are suspended, reduced, or halted would be covered. Agencies must adjust contract prices to reimburse contractors for reasonable costs and contractors must document those costs for agency review.
- Funds from the Treasury would be limited to these payments and later charged to the proper appropriations. The bill also bars agencies from proposing or carrying out reductions in force and from placing employees on administrative leave for more than 10 workdays in a year during a lapse.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Keep federal paychecks flowing
If enacted, the government would provide agencies money so covered federal employees still get their normal pay during any FY2026 funding lapse. "Covered employees" would include agency employees (and some military members on duty) who were in place or had accepted offers before a lapse that runs Oct 1, 2025 through Sept 30, 2026. Agencies would only be able to use this money to pay normal wages, allowances, differentials, and benefits, and not for other purposes. If a lapse is already happening when the bill is enacted, agencies would have to pay covered employees as soon as practicable and no later than 7 days after enactment; after enactment, pay would follow regular pay dates.
Limit layoffs and long leave during lapses
If enacted, during any FY2026 funding lapse agencies could not propose or carry out permanent reductions in force or similar cuts to their workforce. Agencies also could not place an employee on administrative leave for more than 10 work days in a calendar year because of a lapse. This does not stop voluntary separation payments under current law.
Reimburse contractors for worker pay
If enacted, agencies would have to adjust contract prices to reimburse contractors for reasonable costs of paying contract employees during any FY2026 lapse. Reasonable costs would include pay for furloughed or laid-off contract workers, pay for reduced hours or reduced compensation, and costs to restore paid leave if the contractor required or allowed leave because of the lapse. Contractors would need to provide evidence of those costs, and agencies must make adjustments even if the contract normally forbids such changes.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Walkinshaw, James R. [D-VA-11]
VA • D
Cosponsors
Rep. Beyer, Donald S. [D-VA-8]
VA • D
Sponsored 2/2/2026
Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large]
DC • D
Sponsored 2/2/2026
Rep. Raskin, Jamie [D-MD-8]
MD • D
Sponsored 2/2/2026
Rep. Subramanyam, Suhas [D-VA-10]
VA • D
Sponsored 2/2/2026
Rep. Mfume, Kweisi [D-MD-7]
MD • D
Sponsored 2/2/2026
Rep. Vindman, Eugene Simon [D-VA-7]
VA • D
Sponsored 2/2/2026
Rep. Soto, Darren [D-FL-9]
FL • D
Sponsored 2/3/2026
Rep. Espaillat, Adriano [D-NY-13]
NY • D
Sponsored 2/9/2026
Rep. Landsman, Greg [D-OH-1]
OH • D
Sponsored 2/9/2026
Rep. Thanedar, Shri [D-MI-13]
MI • D
Sponsored 2/9/2026
Rep. Wilson, Frederica S. [D-FL-24]
FL • D
Sponsored 2/9/2026
Rep. Moulton, Seth [D-MA-6]
MA • D
Sponsored 2/9/2026
Rep. Elfreth, Sarah [D-MD-3]
MD • D
Sponsored 2/10/2026
Rep. McClain Delaney, April [D-MD-6]
MD • D
Sponsored 2/10/2026
Rep. Carson, André [D-IN-7]
IN • D
Sponsored 2/10/2026
Rep. Goldman, Daniel S. [D-NY-10]
NY • D
Sponsored 2/10/2026
Rep. Panetta, Jimmy [D-CA-19]
CA • D
Sponsored 2/11/2026
Rep. Schneider, Bradley Scott [D-IL-10]
IL • D
Sponsored 2/11/2026
Rep. Matsui, Doris O. [D-CA-7]
CA • D
Sponsored 2/11/2026
Rep. Lynch, Stephen F. [D-MA-8]
MA • D
Sponsored 2/11/2026
Rep. Ivey, Glenn [D-MD-4]
MD • D
Sponsored 2/11/2026
Rep. DeSaulnier, Mark [D-CA-10]
CA • D
Sponsored 2/17/2026
Rep. Swalwell, Eric [D-CA-14]
CA • D
Sponsored 2/17/2026
Rep. Carter, Troy A. [D-LA-2]
LA • D
Sponsored 2/20/2026
Rep. Cohen, Steve [D-TN-9]
TN • D
Sponsored 3/5/2026
Rep. Neguse, Joe [D-CO-2]
CO • D
Sponsored 3/9/2026
Rep. Kennedy, Timothy M. [D-NY-26]
NY • D
Sponsored 3/12/2026
Rep. Craig, Angie [D-MN-2]
MN • D
Sponsored 3/12/2026
Rep. Morrison, Kelly [D-MN-3]
MN • D
Sponsored 3/24/2026
Rep. Moore, Gwen [D-WI-4]
WI • D
Sponsored 3/24/2026
Rep. Chu, Judy [D-CA-28]
CA • D
Sponsored 3/26/2026
Rep. Latimer, George [D-NY-16]
NY • D
Sponsored 3/26/2026
Rep. McBride, Sarah [D-DE-At Large]
DE • D
Sponsored 3/26/2026
Rep. Hoyle, Val T. [D-OR-4]
OR • D
Sponsored 4/2/2026
Rep. Stevens, Haley M. [D-MI-11]
MI • D
Sponsored 4/2/2026
Rep. Harder, Josh [D-CA-9]
CA • D
Sponsored 4/16/2026
Rep. Grijalva, Adelita S. [D-AZ-7]
AZ • D
Sponsored 4/20/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov