Two Rival Bills Could Get Federal Workers Paid. Why Both Will Likely Fail.

People line up to receive food for furloughed federal workers at No Limits Outreach Ministries on Oct. 21, 2025 in Hyattsville, Md. (Brendan Smialowski / AFP / Getty Images)

Key Points

• Both Senate Democrats and Republicans have proposed bills to pay federal workers during the shutdown, but neither is expected to pass due to lack of bipartisan support and insufficient votes.
• The Republican bill would pay non-furloughed workers and contractors, while the Democratic bill aims to pay all federal workers regardless of furlough status.
• Approximately 700,000 civilian federal workers have been furloughed without pay, and about one million more are working without pay.

Senate Democrats and Republicans have both queued up plans to pay federal workers through the duration of the shutdown, but neither bill is likely to pass. That’s because neither party likes the other’s proposal, and both lack the 60 votes needed to push their measure through.

The Republican bill, sponsored by Sen. Ron Johnson of Minnesota, would pay non-furloughed workers as well as contractors who support their work. The Democrats’ bill, brought by Maryland’s Chris Van Hollen and Michigan’s Gary Peters, according to multiple media reports, would ensure pay for all federal workers regardless of their furlough status.

Democrats have balked at the Republican plan on the grounds that it continues President Donald Trump’s agenda to cherry pick which workers get paid. “It’s not legislation that I support because it appears to be more like a political ploy to pick and choose, giving Donald Trump discretion which employees should be compensated and which should not be compensated,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said.

“All employees should be compensated,” Jeffries added.

When asked about federal workers’ pay during the first week of the shutdown, Trump said some people “really don’t deserve to be taken care of.” He later added that the people the administration wanted to get paid were being paid. A draft memo circulated by the Office of Management and Budget argues that furloughed workers aren’t guaranteed back pay when the shutdown ends.

Currently, some 700,000 civilian federal workers have been furloughed without pay, with another million or so working without pay. Military members got paid last week using unspent funds for research and development, a move that some say is illegal. The Coast Guard plus some 70,000 law enforcement officers across Homeland Security are also getting paid through a similar scheme.

Many workers got a partial paycheck on Oct. 10 and could receive no pay at all this Friday. Air traffic controllers are set to miss their first full paycheck later this month. Other workers are being paid through funds not tied to appropriations.

While no vote has been scheduled on the bills, they are expected as soon as Thursday.

Meanwhile, the Senate is planning to vote for the 12th time on reopening the government. Democrat Jeff Merkley of Oregon has been delivering remarks on the Senate floor since 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, criticizing Trump for pushing the U.S. “further into an authoritarian strongman state.” A vote cannot happen until after he finishes speaking.

Write to Anita Hamilton at anita.hamilton@barrons.com