Shutdown Fairness Act

This bill, known as the "Shutdown Fairness Act," aims to ensure that federal employees, contractors, and active duty military personnel deemed "excepted" continue to receive their pay and allowances during a government shutdown. It specifically appropriates necessary funds for fiscal year 2026 and subsequent fiscal years to cover standard rates of pay, benefits, and other payments for these individuals when they perform required work during a lapse in appropriations. This measure addresses the financial uncertainty faced by those who must work without guaranteed pay during such periods. The bill defines an "excepted employee" broadly to include not only federal employees performing emergency work as determined by the Office of Personnel Management, but also contractors providing support to these employees and active duty members of the Armed Forces. These appropriations are automatically triggered when interim or full-year appropriations are not in effect for an agency. The funding provided under this Act will terminate once regular appropriations for the agency are enacted into law, and any obligations made will then be charged to the newly enacted appropriation.