Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committees on Appropriations, House Administration, the Judiciary, and Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
The True Shutdown Fairness Act ensures federal employees and contractors receive uninterrupted pay during government shutdowns in fiscal year 2026. The bill automatically provides emergency appropriations to federal agencies so they can pay all covered employees—including active-duty military and reserve members—their regular compensation during any lapse in appropriations, and requires contractors to be reimbursed for wages paid to their workers. Agencies must distribute these payments to federal employees within seven days if a shutdown is already ongoing when the bill passes, and on regular pay dates for future shutdowns. The bill also prohibits agencies from laying off employees or forcing them into unpaid administrative leave for extended periods during shutdowns, though it allows voluntary severance options. Once Congress passes full-year or continuing appropriations for fiscal year 2026, the emergency pay authority expires, and all shutdown-related expenditures are charged back to the regular budget accounts.
Take Action
Your position
Add a comment
to comment on this bill.
Annotate the text
Highlight any passage on the Summary or Full Text tab to attach a note. Annotations appear on the Annotations tab.