Senate fails to advance GOP bill that would have provided pay for some federal workers during shutdown
Source: ABC News
October 23, 2025, 1:56 PM
The Senate on Thursday failed to advance Sen. Ron Johnson's bill that would have provided pay to some federal workers during the shutdown. The "Shutdown Fairness Act" -- put forward by Johnson -- failed by a vote of 55-45. It would have needed 60 votes to advance.
Democratic Sens. John Fetterman, Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock voted with all Republicans to advance the bill. All other Democrats voted against it, effectively blocking it from advancing. While the bill would not have ended the shutdown, it would allow some federal employees to get paid.
Johnson's bill would have provided appropriations to pay the troops and "excepted employees" of federal agencies being affected by the shutdown. That includes employees determined by the Office of Personnel Management to be performing emergency work, or for contractors who provide support to those employees. Democrats were reluctant to provide votes out of concerns that Johnson's bill gives the administration and Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought too broad of authority to determine which employees would get paid and which wouldn't.
Democratic Sen. Chris Van Hollen offered an alternative bill to Johnson's that would pay all federal employees. Johnson blocked that proposal -- along with another similar option from Democrats. Democrats attempted to pass both of these bills unanimously, so Johnson's objection alone was enough to block them.
Read more: https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/senate-vote-paying-federal-workers-shutdown-hits-day/story?id=126792865
S.3012 - Shutdown Fairness Act
Roll Call Vote (corrected one versus the article) - https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1191/vote_119_1_00585.htm
YEAs 54
NAYs 45
Not Voting 1
Sheehy (R-MT)
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