Legislation was introduced this week to pay all federal employees, service members and federal contractors during any government shutdowns in fiscal year 2026.
If passed, the True Shutdown Fairness Act (HR 7322) “would ensure that during any FY2026 shutdown, federal workers, service members, and contractors are paid and protected, and that the Trump administration cannot use a shutdown to carry out reductions in force,” according to a press statement from Congressman James Walkinshaw (D-VA) who introduced the bill in the House. Companion legislation (S 3165) to this bill was introduced last November by Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD).
“Federal workers and service members should never be used as leverage in Republicans’ shutdown standoffs, and the Trump administration should never be able to use a shutdown to inflict harm on our federal workforce, as we have seen,” said Walkinshaw. “This bill would provide critical protections by ensuring workers get paid during any FY2026 shutdown, contractors can keep paying their staff, and the Trump administration would be blocked from using a shutdown as a smokescreen to purge the federal workforce through reductions in force.”
The Services Employees International Union (SEIU) and American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) endorse the bill.
Read the full bill text here.