North Indy News

U.S. Senator Todd Young (R-Ind.) and U.S. Senator Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) have introduced the Shutdown Fairness Act, a bill designed to ensure that federal employees required to work during government shutdowns receive timely pay. The proposed legislation would appropriate funds to cover pay and allowances for "excepted" federal workers—those who must continue their duties during lapses in appropriations due to the essential nature of their work.

Senator Young emphasized the importance of supporting these employees, stating, “Essential federal employees who continue to show up and do their jobs during this government shutdown manufactured by Senate Democrats shouldn’t pay a price. The Shutdown Fairness Act would make sure these hard-working Americans are paid on time for the work they perform, just as they deserve.”

Senator Johnson also addressed the ongoing political dispute over the shutdown: “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.”

Other co-sponsors of the bill include Senators Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), James Risch (R-Idaho), and Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska). The full text of the legislation is available online.