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119-s-3681119th Congress

Keep Our Border Agents Paid Act

Sponsored By: Senator Scott, Rick [R-FL]

Introduced

Summary

This bill would create a dedicated continuing-appropriations authority to keep pay and certain benefits flowing to specific CBP and ICE employees and contractors during a lapse in appropriations. It names which Border Patrol, Office of Field Operations, Air and Marine Operations, Homeland Security Investigations, and Enforcement and Removal Operations units are covered and lists which benefits may be paid while funding is absent.

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  • Border and ICE excepted employees: It would allow pay and certain federal benefits to continue for covered employees during funding gaps, including disability and death compensation, missing-employee compensation, and funeral and transport costs.
  • Covered contractors: It would permit pay for contractors the Secretary determines are providing support to excepted employees or are required to work during a lapse in appropriations.
  • Department bookkeeping and timing: It would charge those emergency payments back to the applicable appropriations once regular funding is enacted and allow use of funds without normal apportionment timing rules.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

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

Pay for border agents during shutdown

If enacted, this bill would pay certain CBP and ICE workers and some contractors during a DHS funding lapse. It would cover Air and Marine Operations; the Office of Field Operations; the U.S. Border Patrol; Homeland Security Investigations; and Enforcement and Removal Operations. Pay would go to excepted employees, as defined in current law. It would also pay contractors the Secretary finds either support those employees or are required to work during the lapse. The Treasury would provide "such sums as are necessary," and the bill would cover certain federal benefits including those in 5 U.S.C. 5569, 5570, 8102, and 8134. Payments made under this authority would be charged back to the usual DHS appropriations when Congress later funds the Department.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Scott, Rick [R-FL]

FL • R

Cosponsors

  • Sen. Justice, James C. [R-WV]

    WV • R

    Sponsored 1/15/2026

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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