H.R. 5716 · Where this bill is now
In committee
Introduced in the House, sent to the Committee on Agriculture, Oct 8, 2025
What this bill does
In plain words · AI-written from the official summaryKeeps agriculture disaster aid running during shutdowns
When the federal government runs out of money and shuts down, most agencies stop work. This bill says the Department of Agriculture must keep going with its disaster assistance programs anyway. It requires USDA employees who handle these programs to keep working during a shutdown, and protects them from being laid off during the shutdown.
How it affects you
If you're a farmer or rancher who needs disaster assistance after floods, droughts, or other agricultural emergencies, this bill means help from the USDA won't pause if a government shutdown happens. USDA employees in disaster assistance roles would also be protected from job loss during a shutdown, though they'd be required to work without pay until the shutdown ends.
Read the official summary (Introduced in House, Oct 8, 2025)
Federal Agricultural Relief Maintained during Shutdowns And Federal Emergencies Act or the FARM SAFE Act
This bill requires the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to continue activities related to agricultural disaster assistance programs during a lapse in appropriations (i.e., government shutdown).
Specifically, the bill provides that any USDA employee necessary to carry out an agricultural disaster assistance program (1) must be treated as an excepted employee who is required to perform work during a lapse in appropriations, and (2) may not be removed under a reduction in force.
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. 5716
A BILL
FARM SAFE Act
Sponsor: Rep. April McClain Delaney (D-MD-6) · Introduced Oct 8, 2025 · Agriculture and Food · 1 version of the text
Sources: Congress.gov actions and votes · bill text from GovInfo · latest official action Dec 2, 2025: “Referred to the Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities, Risk Management, and Credit.”