Pay the People Act
Introduced Oct 28, 2025 by Sen. John Kennedy
It's waiting on a committee vote to reach the full chamber. Most bills never leave this stage.
This bill provides appropriations to pay federal employees during a government shutdown due to a lapse in appropriations.
Specifically, the bill provides appropriations for federal agencies to provide standard rates of pay, allowances, pay differentials, benefits, and other payments to agency employees (including contractors and members of the Armed Forces on active duty) during any period in which interim continuing appropriations or full-year appropriations are not in effect for a fiscal year (i.e., a government shutdown).
A federal agency may not use the funds provided by this bill during any period in which continuing appropriations are in effect for the purpose of paying employees of the agency.
The bill must take effect as if it had been enacted on September 30, 2025.
Summary by the Congressional Research Service.
No floor votes yet — it hasn't reached the floor of either chamber.