H.R. 5801 · Where this bill is now
In committee
Introduced in the House, sent to the Committee on Appropriations, Oct 21, 2025
What this bill does
In plain words · AI-written from the official summaryPay federal workers during government shutdowns
When the government shuts down because Congress hasn't approved a budget, some federal employees still have to show up to work—things like air traffic control and food safety inspections don't stop. Right now, those employees don't get paid until the shutdown ends. This bill would provide money to pay them their regular salary, benefits, and other compensation while the shutdown is happening. It also covers certain contractors and active-duty military members who work during shutdowns.
How it affects you
If you're a federal employee required to work during a shutdown, you'd get paid instead of waiting weeks or months for back pay. For everyone else, this means essential federal services that depend on these workers would continue without the financial strain on the people keeping them running.
Read the official summary (Introduced in House, Oct 21, 2025)
Shutdown Fairness Act
This bill provides appropriations to pay federal employees who work during a government shutdown.
Specifically, the bill provides appropriations for federal agencies to provide standard rates of pay, allowances, pay differentials, benefits, and other payments to excepted employees for work performed during any period in which interim continuing appropriations or full-year appropriations are not in effect for a fiscal year (i.e., a government shutdown). An excepted employee is an employee who is required to work during a government shutdown.
Under current law, excepted employees are not paid until the government shutdown is over. This bill provides appropriations to pay excepted employees during a government shutdown. The bill also specifies that the term excepted employee includes certain contractors who support federal employees during a government shutdown and members of the Armed Forces who are on active duty.
A federal agency may not use the funds provided by this bill during any period in which continuing appropriations are in effect for the purpose of paying excepted employees of the agency.
The bill must take effect as if it had been enacted on September 30, 2025.
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. 5801
A BILL
Shutdown Fairness Act
Sponsor: Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-SD-At Large) · Introduced Oct 21, 2025 · Government Operations and Politics · 1 version of the text
Sources: Congress.gov actions and votes · bill text from GovInfo · latest official action Oct 21, 2025: “Referred to the House Committee on Appropriations.”