S. 3001 · Where this bill is now
In committee
Introduced in the Senate, Oct 9, 2025
What this bill does
In plain words · AI-written from the official summaryPays federal workers during government shutdowns
When the government shuts down because Congress hasn't approved a budget, some federal employees have to keep working anyway—they're called excepted employees. Right now, those workers don't get paid until the shutdown ends. This bill would provide money to pay them during the shutdown. It also includes certain contractors who support federal employees as people eligible for this emergency pay.
How it affects you
Federal employees who are required to work during a shutdown would be directly affected, since they'd receive paychecks instead of waiting unpaid. For most other people, this wouldn't create a direct change in your life, though it could affect the services you use from federal agencies that rely on these workers.
Read the official summary (Introduced in Senate, Oct 9, 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 pay and allowances to excepted employees who are required to work during any period in which interim or full-year appropriations are not in effect for a fiscal year (i.e., a government shutdown).
Under current law, excepted employees are required to work during a government shutdown and 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.
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.
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 SessionS. 3001
A BILL
Shutdown Fairness Act
Sponsor: Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) · Introduced Oct 9, 2025 · Government Operations and Politics · 1 version of the text
Sources: Congress.gov actions and votes · bill text from GovInfo · latest official action Oct 9, 2025: “Read twice and referred to the Committee on Appropriations.”