Pay the People Act

The Pay the People Act aims to protect federal workers from financial hardship during periods of government shutdowns. If enacted, the bill would automatically appropriate the necessary funds to continue paying the salaries and allowances of federal employees even if Congress has not passed a formal budget or a continuing resolution to fund the government.

Under current law, many federal employees are either furloughed or required to work without immediate pay during a shutdown, only receiving back pay once the government reopens. This proposal seeks to change that process by ensuring that paychecks are issued on their normal schedule. This would provide greater financial stability for the federal workforce and minimize the personal economic disruptions often caused by legislative stalemates.

Because this bill is a standard legislative proposal (S. 3066), it would require approval from both the Senate and the House of Representatives, as well as the President's signature, to become law. It has currently been referred to the Committee on Appropriations for further review.