H.R. 5628 · Where this bill is now
In committee
Introduced in the House, sent to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, Sep 30, 2025
What this bill does
In plain words · AI-written from the official summaryPay federal workers and states during shutdowns
When the federal government shuts down because Congress doesn't approve new spending, bills don't get paid and federal workers lose paychecks. This bill would require the government to reimburse federal employees, District of Columbia employees, and federal contractors for costs they face during the shutdown—like fees on late credit card payments or loans they had to take out. It would also require the government to reimburse states for assistance programs they have to cover when federal funding stops, as long as the shutdown lasts at least 14 days.
How it affects you
If you're a federal worker, D.C. employee, or federal contractor, you'd be reimbursed for financial hardships caused by a government shutdown, like overdraft fees or interest on emergency loans. If you live in a state that has to temporarily cover federal assistance programs during a lengthy shutdown, your state would get that money back from the federal government within 90 days.
Read the official summary (Introduced in House, Sep 30, 2025)
Pay Workers What They’ve Earned Act
This bill requires the federal government to reimburse states and employees of the federal government, the District of Columbia government, or federal contractors for certain costs incurred as a result of a lapse in appropriations (i.e., a government shutdown).
Employee costs that must be reimbursed include costs incurred by an employee as a direct result of a lapse in appropriations, including expenses for loans and credit cards, and any fees, fines, or interest resulting from the employee's inability to make payments as a direct result of a loss in salary due to the lapse in appropriations.
With respect to a lapse in appropriations that begins on or about October 1, 2025, employees must be reimbursed for any shutdown costs on the earliest date possible after the enactment of this bill (subject to the enactment of an appropriations act ending the lapse). For subsequent lapses in appropriations, the bill requires that each employee be reimbursed for any shutdown costs on the earliest date possible after the end of a lapse in appropriations that lasts at least 14 days.
States must be reimbursed for payments for assistance programs that would otherwise be provided by the federal government but for a lapse in appropriations that lasts at least 14 days. The states must be reimbursed no later than 90 days after the end of the lapse in appropriations.
The reimbursements required by this bill are subject to the availability of appropriations.
Written by AI (Claude) using only the official summary by the Congressional Research Service, the Library of Congress’s nonpartisan research staff. It can miss nuance, so check the official summary and the bill text for details.
1st SessionH. R. 5628
A BILL
Pay Workers What They’ve Earned Act
Sponsor: Rep. Steven Horsford (D-NV-4) · Introduced Sep 30, 2025 · Economics and Public Finance · 1 version of the text
Sources: Congress.gov actions and votes · bill text from GovInfo · latest official action Sep 30, 2025: “Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.”