Lawmakers Hopeful for Bipartisan Agreement After Failed Senate Vote on Federal Pay

Basio badr

ago 3 hours

In a recent Senate session, a Republican initiative aimed at compensating federal workers who are currently working without pay failed to progress. Despite this setback, some lawmakers remain positive about reaching a bipartisan solution soon.

Failed Senate Vote on Federal Pay

The GOP’s “Shutdown Fairness Act” was rejected with a vote of 54-45. This legislation would have provided immediate pay to excepted employees working during the government shutdown. However, it did not meet the necessary threshold of 60 votes required to advance.

Republican senators sponsored the bill.
Three Democrats—Senators John Fetterman, Jon Ossoff, and Raphael Warnock—joined Republicans in supporting the motion.
Senator Tim Sheehy did not cast a vote.

Debate over the Shutdown Fairness Act

Some Senate Democrats opposed the bill, arguing that it would grant President Trump undue power over federal employee compensation during the shutdown.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer referred to the proposal as a “ruse.” He expressed concerns that the legislation could be used to manipulate federal workers’ pay. “We will not give Donald Trump a license to play politics with people’s livelihoods,” he stated.

Democratic Alternatives Proposed

Ahead of the vote, Democrats presented two alternative measures:

The “True Shutdown Fairness Act” intended to pay both furloughed and excepted employees, along with military personnel and federal contractors. It also aimed to restrict reductions in force (RIFs) during the shutdown.
The “Military and Federal Employee Protection Act” would ensure back pay for both furloughed and excepted employees from the shutdown’s start on October 1.

Both proposals were dismissed by Republicans. Senator Chris Van Hollen criticized the GOP’s approach, emphasizing the need to protect all federal employees and contractors from financial burdens during the shutdown.

Path Forward for Bipartisan Agreement

In light of the failed vote, Senator Ron Johnson, a co-sponsor of the Shutdown Fairness Act, stressed the importance of reaching a bipartisan agreement. He expressed willingness to include furloughed workers in future discussions.

“I think we can fix it over the weekend,” he remarked, highlighting potential pathways to resolve the issue and reopen government services.

Impact on Federal Employees

With the shadow of the shutdown looming, many federal workers are bracing for delays in receiving their paychecks. Although there’s a guarantee of retroactive pay following a shutdown, uncertainties have emerged regarding the applicability for furloughed employees.

Active-duty military personnel received their paychecks on October 15.
Approximately 70,000 law enforcement officers at the Department of Homeland Security were also paid on time, although some were excluded.

Dave Spero, president of the Professional Aviation Safety Specialists union, voiced concerns over political maneuvers distracting from the essential goal of ending the shutdown. “We don’t want other sorts of bills to come into play to mitigate the impacts of the shutdown—stop the shutdown,” he emphasized.