The "Pay the People Act" establishes a mechanism to guarantee that federal employees, contractors providing support to employees, and active duty members of the Armed Forces continue to receive their standard pay, allowances, and benefits during periods of government funding lapses. Beginning in fiscal year 2026, and for all subsequent fiscal years, the bill appropriates such sums as are necessary from the Treasury to cover these payments for covered individuals when interim continuing or full-year appropriations are not in effect for their respective agencies. These emergency appropriations remain available to an agency until full-year appropriations are enacted into law, regardless of whether those subsequent appropriations specifically fund these purposes. However, agencies are prohibited from obligating these funds if continuing appropriations for the same purposes are already in effect. Any obligations made under this act will be charged to the applicable regular or continuing appropriation once it becomes law, and the act is retroactively effective to September 30, 2025.