119th Congress · introduced in the House · Sep 30, 2025
Pay Workers What They’ve Earned Act
Official title from Congress.gov
Latest action (Sep 30, 2025): Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
View on Congress.govPolicy area: Economics and Public Finance
Congressional Research Service summary, version: Introduced in House (Sep 30, 2025)
Pay Workers What They’ve Earned Act
This bill requires the federal government to reimburse states and employees of the federal government, the District of Columbia government, or federal contractors for certain costs incurred as a result of a lapse in appropriations (i.e., a government shutdown).
Employee costs that must be reimbursed include costs incurred by an employee as a direct result of a lapse in appropriations, including expenses for loans and credit cards, and any fees, fines, or interest resulting from the employee's inability to make payments as a direct result of a loss in salary due to the lapse in appropriations.
With respect to a lapse in appropriations that begins on or about October 1, 2025, employees must be reimbursed for any shutdown costs on the earliest date possible after the enactment of this bill (subject to the enactment of an appropriations act ending the lapse). For subsequent lapses in appropriations, the bill requires that each employee be reimbursed for any shutdown costs on the earliest date possible after the end of a lapse in appropriations that lasts at least 14 days.
States must be reimbursed for payments for assistance programs that would otherwise be provided by the federal government but for a lapse in appropriations that lasts at least 14 days. The states must be reimbursed no later than 90 days after the end of the lapse in appropriations.
The reimbursements required by this bill are subject to the availability of appropriations.
Includes amendment, cloture, and procedural votes. Each is labeled with its exact question; only a passage question is a vote to pass the bill.
No recorded roll calls on this bill in coverage.
Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Actions from Congress.gov, newest first.
LD-2 reports whose issue descriptions explicitly cite this bill (bill type and number validated against Congress.gov records). A citation does not establish the client's position or any contact with a member.
Loading lobbying reportsCoverage: reports for 2025 onward, posted Jan 1, 2025 through Oct 24, 2026.
11 citations.
NATIONAL TREASURY EMPLOYEES UNION · lobbying firm or registrant: NATIONAL TREASURY EMPLOYEES UNION
2026 Q3 report (Jul 1, 2026 – Sep 30, 2026) · posted Oct 19, 2026 · issue area: Budget/Appropriations
$310,000
Spent on own lobbying
…5438, Incentivize Savings Act H.R. 5542, End Government Shutdowns Act H.R. 5552, Eliminate Shutdowns Act H.R. 5619, Federal Firefighter Paycheck Protection Act H.R. 5628, Pay Workers What Theyve Earned Act H.R. 5801, Shutdown Fairness Act S. 3012, Shutdown Fairness Act H.R. 5802, MAGA Act H.R. 5870, Prevent Government Shutdowns…
Congress inferred from the report year; bill number and the title cited with it match Congress.gov records, and the bill predates the report. The amount is lobbying spending for every issue on this report, not this bill alone, and none of it is paid to any member of Congress. View filing
FEDERAL MANAGERS ASSOCIATION · lobbying firm or registrant: FEDERAL MANAGERS ASSOCIATION
2026 Q3 report (Jul 1, 2026 – Sep 30, 2026) · posted Oct 16, 2026 · issue area: Government Issues
Amount not reported
…Act (H.R. 5572 / S. 2948); Support for the Emergency Relief for Federal Workers Act (H.R. 5674 / S. 2966); Support for the Pay Workers What Theyve Earned Act (H.R. 5628); Support for the Prevent Government Shutdowns Act of 2025 (S. 2721); Support for the Shutdown Fairness Act (S. 3012 / H.R. 5801); Support for the True Shutdow…
Congress inferred from the report year; bill number and the title cited with it match Congress.gov records, and the bill predates the report. View filing
NATIONAL TREASURY EMPLOYEES UNION · lobbying firm or registrant: NATIONAL TREASURY EMPLOYEES UNION
2026 Q2 report (Apr 1, 2026 – Jun 30, 2026) · posted Jul 20, 2026 · issue area: Budget/Appropriations
$340,000
Spent on own lobbying
…s and Other Matters Act, 2026 H.R. 5542, End Government Shutdowns Act H.R. 5552, Eliminate Shutdowns Act H.R. 5619, Federal Firefighter Paycheck Protection Act H.R. 5628, Pay Workers What Theyve Earned Act H.R. 5801, Shutdown Fairness Act S. 3012, Shutdown Fairness Act H.R. 5802, MAGA Act H.R. 5870, Prevent Government Shutdowns…
Congress inferred from the report year; bill number and the title cited with it match Congress.gov records, and the bill predates the report. The amount is lobbying spending for every issue on this report, not this bill alone, and none of it is paid to any member of Congress. View filing
FEDERAL MANAGERS ASSOCIATION · lobbying firm or registrant: FEDERAL MANAGERS ASSOCIATION
2026 Q2 report (Apr 1, 2026 – Jun 30, 2026) · posted Jul 7, 2026 · issue area: Government Issues
Amount not reported
…Act (H.R. 5572 / S. 2948); Support for the Emergency Relief for Federal Workers Act (H.R. 5674 / S. 2966); Support for the Pay Workers What Theyve Earned Act (H.R. 5628); Support for the Prevent Government Shutdowns Act of 2025 (S. 2721); Support for the Shutdown Fairness Act (S. 3012 / H.R. 5801); Support for the True Shutdow…
Congress inferred from the report year; bill number and the title cited with it match Congress.gov records, and the bill predates the report. View filing
FEDERAL MANAGERS ASSOCIATION · lobbying firm or registrant: FEDERAL MANAGERS ASSOCIATION
2026 Q1 report (Jan 1, 2026 – Mar 31, 2026) · posted May 4, 2026 · issue area: Government Issues
Amount not reported
…Act (H.R. 5572 / S. 2948); Support for the Emergency Relief for Federal Workers Act (H.R. 5674 / S. 2966); Support for the Pay Workers What Theyve Earned Act (H.R. 5628); Support for the Prevent Government Shutdowns Act of 2025 (S. 2721); Support for the Shutdown Fairness Act (S. 3012 / H.R. 5801); Support for the True Shutdow…
Congress inferred from the report year; bill number and the title cited with it match Congress.gov records, and the bill predates the report. View filing
NATIONAL TREASURY EMPLOYEES UNION · lobbying firm or registrant: NATIONAL TREASURY EMPLOYEES UNION
2026 Q1 report (Jan 1, 2026 – Mar 31, 2026) · posted Apr 13, 2026 · issue area: Budget/Appropriations
$310,000
Spent on own lobbying
…s and Other Matters Act, 2026 H.R. 5542, End Government Shutdowns Act H.R. 5552, Eliminate Shutdowns Act H.R. 5619, Federal Firefighter Paycheck Protection Act H.R. 5628, Pay Workers What Theyve Earned Act H.R. 5801, Shutdown Fairness Act S. 3012, Shutdown Fairness Act H.R. 5802, MAGA Act H.R. 5870, Prevent Government Shutdowns…
Congress inferred from the report year; bill number and the title cited with it match Congress.gov records, and the bill predates the report. The amount is lobbying spending for every issue on this report, not this bill alone, and none of it is paid to any member of Congress. View filing
AMERICAN FEDERATION OF STATE COUNTY AND MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES · lobbying firm or registrant: AMERICAN FEDERATION OF STATE, COUNTY AND MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES
2025 Q4 report (Oct 1, 2025 – Dec 31, 2025) · amended · posted Jan 27, 2026 · issue area: Government Issues
$700,000
Spent on own lobbying
S 3039- True Shutdown Fairness Act S 3012- Shutdown Fairness Act HR 5657- Fair Pay for Federal Contractors Act of 2025 HR 5628- Pay Workers What They've Earned Act HR 5708- The Federal Employee Civil Relief Act S 3141- Securing Assurance for Federal Employees Act "SAFE Act" S 3043- Mil…
Congress inferred from the report year; bill number and the title cited with it match Congress.gov records, and the bill predates the report. The amount is lobbying spending for every issue on this report, not this bill alone, and none of it is paid to any member of Congress. View filing
FEDERAL MANAGERS ASSOCIATION · lobbying firm or registrant: FEDERAL MANAGERS ASSOCIATION
2025 Q4 report (Oct 1, 2025 – Dec 31, 2025) · posted Jan 20, 2026 · issue area: Government Issues
Amount not reported
…Act (H.R. 5572 / S. 2948); Support for the Emergency Relief for Federal Workers Act (H.R. 5674 / S. 2966); Support for the Pay Workers What Theyve Earned Act (H.R. 5628); Support for the Prevent Government Shutdowns Act of 2025 (S. 2721); Support for the Shutdown Fairness Act (S. 3012 / H.R. 5801); Support for the True Shutdow…
Congress inferred from the report year; bill number and the title cited with it match Congress.gov records, and the bill predates the report. View filing
NATIONAL TREASURY EMPLOYEES UNION · lobbying firm or registrant: NATIONAL TREASURY EMPLOYEES UNION
2025 Q4 report (Oct 1, 2025 – Dec 31, 2025) · posted Jan 20, 2026 · issue area: Budget/Appropriations
$350,000
Spent on own lobbying
…s and Other Matters Act, 2026 H.R. 5542, End Government Shutdowns Act H.R. 5552, Eliminate Shutdowns Act H.R. 5619, Federal Firefighter Paycheck Protection Act H.R. 5628, Pay Workers What Theyve Earned Act H.R. 5801, Shutdown Fairness Act S. 3001, Shutdown Fairness Act S. 3012, Shutdown Fairness Act S. 3168, Shutdown Fairness A…
Congress inferred from the report year; bill number and the title cited with it match Congress.gov records, and the bill predates the report. The amount is lobbying spending for every issue on this report, not this bill alone, and none of it is paid to any member of Congress. View filing
AMERICAN FEDERATION OF STATE COUNTY AND MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES · lobbying firm or registrant: AMERICAN FEDERATION OF STATE, COUNTY AND MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES
2025 Q3 report (Jul 1, 2025 – Sep 30, 2025) · posted Oct 20, 2025 · issue area: Government Issues
$750,000
Spent on own lobbying
H. Res. 369, S. Res. 198- HHS Notice and Comment on Rules PROMESA S 1585- Reduction in Force (RIF) Review Act HR 5572- Help FEDS Act HR 5628- Pay Workers What They've Earned Act HR 5657- Fair Pay for Federal Contractors Act of 2025 HR 2550- Protect America's Workforce Act
Congress inferred from the report year; bill number and the title cited with it match Congress.gov records, and the bill predates the report. The amount is lobbying spending for every issue on this report, not this bill alone, and none of it is paid to any member of Congress. View filing
NATIONAL TREASURY EMPLOYEES UNION · lobbying firm or registrant: NATIONAL TREASURY EMPLOYEES UNION
2025 Q3 report (Jul 1, 2025 – Sep 30, 2025) · posted Oct 20, 2025 · issue area: Budget/Appropriations
$300,000
Spent on own lobbying
…s and Other Matters Act, 2026 H.R. 5542, End Government Shutdowns Act H.R. 5552, Eliminate Shutdowns Act H.R. 5619, Federal Firefighter Paycheck Protection Act H.R. 5628, Pay Workers What Theyve Earned Act S. Con. Res. 22, A concurrent resolution setting forth the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal…
Congress inferred from the report year; bill number and the title cited with it match Congress.gov records, and the bill predates the report. The amount is lobbying spending for every issue on this report, not this bill alone, and none of it is paid to any member of Congress. View filing