Sponsors (9)
The bill ensures pay continuity and clearer rules for federal workers and eligible contractors during shutdowns, improving worker security and administrative certainty, but raises automatic federal costs, may weaken incentives for timely appropriations, and leaves some recent hires unprotected while maintaining expectations to work during lapses.
Federal employees and eligible contractor employees will receive uninterrupted standard pay during any lapse in regular appropriations starting FY2026, with payments made automatically by the Treasury (including retroactive pay for the Oct 1, 2025–enactment period).
Agency leaders get clear authority and a uniform administrative rulebook for paying personnel and contractors during funding gaps, reducing ad hoc decisions, legal uncertainty, and administrative delays.
Contractor employees required to work during a lapse and who meet eligibility will be paid the same standard compensation as federal employees, reducing immediate financial hardship for workers performing essential duties.
Taxpayers will likely face increased federal outlays during funding lapses because the Treasury can automatically provide 'such sums as are necessary' to pay personnel and contractors.
Providing automatic pay during lapses may reduce political and budgetary pressure on Congress to pass appropriations promptly, increasing the risk that funding gaps persist or recur.
Federal employees and contractor workers covered by the bill are required to perform typical duties 'to the maximum extent practicable' during a lapse, which could impose work expectations despite administrative constraints or safety concerns.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Creates a permanent Treasury appropriation (starting FY2026) to automatically pay covered federal employees and qualifying contractors during any lapse in regular appropriations.
Introduced November 9, 2025 by Ron Johnson · Last progress November 9, 2025
Automatically provides permanent Treasury funding, beginning in fiscal year 2026, to pay federal employees and certain contractors the agency’s standard compensation during any lapse in regular appropriations. It defines which agency personnel, contractors, and military service members qualify and requires agencies to cover contractor pay so covered contract employees receive the same standard employee compensation for the lapse period. The measure creates definitions for “agency,” “covered employee,” “covered contract employee,” and “covered individual contractor,” and triggers an automatic appropriation of “such sums as are necessary” from the Treasury to pay standard compensation to covered persons and to reimburse agencies/contractors so these payments can be made during funding gaps.