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S. 3039: True Shutdown Fairness Act

This bill, entitled the True Shutdown Fairness Act, aims to address the financial impacts on federal employees during a specific lapse in government funding that began on October 1, 2025. Here is a breakdown of what the bill would do:

Appropriations for Federal Employees

The bill appropriates necessary funds to ensure that federal employees continue to receive their standard pay, benefits, and other allowances during the lapse in appropriations. This applies specifically to:

Employees of federal agencies who may have faced furlough or other interruptions to their normal work status.
Contractors supporting federal employees.
Active duty and reserve military personnel during this lapse.

Definitions

The bill provides definitions for key terms:

Agency: Refers to any branch or authority of the U.S. Government.
Covered individual: Employees of these agencies, regardless of whether they have been deemed essential or not during the lapse.
Covered lapse in appropriations: The period from October 1, 2025, until a specified termination date when appropriations are enacted to provide funding.
Termination date: The date appropriations have been made for the agency involved, which ends the covered lapse.

Funding Availability

The bill appropriates funds needed for fiscal year 2026, specifically for the head of federal agencies impacted by the funding lapse. These funds will be available until the termination date set in the bill.

Limitations on Reductions in Force

The bill includes provisions to prevent any reductions in the workforce or negative employment actions during the lapse in appropriations:

Agencies are prohibited from implementing layoffs or reducing their workforce.
Federal employees cannot be placed on administrative leave for more than ten workdays in a calendar year during the lapse.

Retroactive Effective Date

The provisions in this bill would take effect as if they were enacted on September 30, 2025, aiming to cover the gap that resulted from the funding lapse starting October 1, 2025.

Charge to Future Appropriations

Any expenditures made under the provisions of this bill will be charged to future appropriations made available once a new funding bill is enacted into law.