Gallego Introduces Bill to Pay Military Personnel and All Federal Employees During Government Shutdown

WASHINGTON – Senator Ruben Gallego (D-AZ)and 39 Democratic colleagues introduced theMilitary and Federal Employee Protection Act, which would provide a one-time appropriation to pay servicemembers, federal employees, and contractors who have missed any compensation from October 1 to the date the bill is enacted as a result of the government shutdown.
The bill ensures that both furloughed employees, as well as employees who have been excepted from furlough status and are continuing to work, are guaranteed to receive their standard pay. The bill would also require that all employees receive any delayed compensation within one week of enactment, to ensure they are paid in a timely fashion.
“Republicans could come to the negotiating table end this shutdown today, but instead, they’re choosing to leave town and play politics with the livelihoods of federal workers and servicemembers and jacking up healthcare costs for millions of Americans,”said Senator Gallego.“I’m proud to introduce this legislation to ensure that the entire federal workforce gets paid while Republicans refuse to do their jobs.
TheMilitary and Federal Employee Protection Actwould also include restrictions that limit how the funding can be used and bar the Trump Administration from spending the funds for any purposes other than compensating servicemembers, federal employees, and contractors.
The bill is supported by the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), the National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE), the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE) and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT).
Read the full billHERE.
10/23/25