Senate Democrats have rejected a bill to pay U.S. soldiers and essential government workers while the government shutdown persists.
The bill, sponsored by Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI), sought to “appropriate funds for pay and allowances of excepted Federal employees for periods of work performed during a lapse in appropriations.”
“For fiscal year 2026, and any fiscal year thereafter, there are appropriated such sums as are necessary to provide standard rates of pay, allowances, pay differentials, benefits, and other payments on a regular basis to excepted employees,” it reads.
Three Democrats, Senators Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), and John Fetterman (D-PA), supported the legislation, although it failed in a 54-45 vote.
Ahead of the bill’s consideration, Johnson said, “With Democrats continuing the Schumer Shutdown, they should at least agree to pay all the federal employees that are forced to continue working. The 2025 Shutdown Fairness Act is a permanent fix that will ensure excepted workers and our troops are paid during a shutdown.”
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) told reporters he believes the legislation “appears to be more like a political ploy to pick and choose, giving Donald Trump discretion [over] which employees should be compensated, and which employees should not be compensated. All employees should be compensated and that will happen when we reopen the government.”
Several Democrats have proposed their own legislation to pay federal employees during the shutdown. Senators Brian Schatz (D-HI) and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) joined more than 20 Senators in introducing the “True Shutdown Fairness Act,” which pays both excepted and furloughed federal employees, as well as servicemembers and federal contractors, according to a press release on the matter.
