Senate Democrats on Thursday rejected legislation to guarantee paychecks for U.S. service members and certain federal employees during the ongoing government shutdown.
The measure, sponsored by Republican Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson and known as the Shutdown Fairness Act, fell short of the Senate’s 60-vote threshold, failing on a 54-to-45 vote that largely followed party lines.
The bill would have ensured pay for military personnel and federal workers reporting to work during the lapse, including TSA agents, air traffic controllers, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers.
Only three Democrats—Sens. John Fetterman (Pennsylvania), Raphael Warnock (Georgia), and Jon Ossoff (Georgia)—crossed the aisle to support the legislation.
The Vote and Justifications
The bill’s defeat means all federal employees are poised to miss a paycheck on Friday due to continued funding shortages.
Sen. Fetterman defended his vote, stating, “I’m the guy that’s going to consistently vote for country over party… I’m always going to vote for paying our military over the party. I’m always going to vote for paying the Capitol Police over my party.”
However, the majority of Democrats opposed the bill, with some justifying their opposition by pointing out that the legislation did not cover furloughed federal employees.
Conversely, Republicans noted that this same bloc of Democrats has consistently voted against measures to reopen the government and ensure that all federal workers are paid.
Notably, Democratic Nevada Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto and Maine Sen. Angus King—an independent who caucuses with Democrats and has supported past Republican funding efforts—both opposed the legislation.
Republican Condemnation
Republican leadership strongly criticized the Democratic maneuver to filibuster the bill.
Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso (R-WY) said Democrats were prioritizing politics over paychecks. “If Democrats vote no, it won’t be about fairness. It will be about politics,” he warned, challenging them to “Pay essential workers who are working right now without a paycheck. Or send them into the weekend with empty bank accounts and bills they cannot pay.”
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) excoriated the Democrats for refusing to pay essential staff, including floor aides and Capitol Police who worked overnight during a 22-hour speech by Democratic Oregon Sen. Jeff Merkley. Thune, along with many other lawmakers, has requested his own pay be withheld during the funding lapse.
The government shutdown is now in its 23rd day and is expected to continue into next week. The Senate is not scheduled to reconvene until Monday, when lawmakers are slated to take up yet another piece of legislation to end the shutdown—a measure that is widely expected to fail.
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