S. 3012 · Where this bill is now
In committee
Introduced in the Senate, Oct 15, 2025
What this bill does
In plain words · AI-written from the official summaryPay federal workers during government shutdowns
Right now, when the government shuts down, certain federal employees who are required to keep working don't get paid until it's over. This bill would change that by providing money to pay those workers their regular salaries, benefits, and other compensation while the shutdown is happening. It also covers certain contractors and active-duty military members who support federal operations during a shutdown.
How it affects you
If you're a federal employee, contractor, or active-duty service member who works during a government shutdown, this would mean you get paid on schedule instead of waiting for the shutdown to end. For most other people, this doesn't create a direct personal change, though it could affect how federal agencies operate during shutdowns.
Read the official summary (Introduced in Senate, Oct 15, 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 SessionS. 3012
A BILL
Shutdown Fairness Act
Sponsor: Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) · Introduced Oct 15, 2025 · Government Operations and Politics · 1 version of the text
Sources: Congress.gov actions and votes · bill text from GovInfo · latest official action Nov 7, 2025: “Upon reconsideration, cloture on the motion to proceed to the measure not invoked in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 53 - 43. Record Vote Number: 609.”
How Congress voted
Official roll callsSenate · On Cloture on the Motion to Proceed · Nov 7, 2025
Cloture on the Motion to Proceed Rejected 53–43
| Party | Yes | No | Didn’t vote |
|---|---|---|---|
| Democrats | 3 | 41 | 1 |
| Independents | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Republicans | 50 | 0 | 3 |
3 members voted against most of their party: 3 Democrats voted Yes.
Source: senate.gov · roll call 609
Congress votes on whole bills and amendments, not on single sections.