WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) joined 24 colleagues to introduce the True Shutdown Fairness Act to pay all federal employees and the contractors supporting their work during the shutdown. The Senators' legislation, the True Shutdown Fairness Act, would also prevent the Administration's attempts at mass firings (Reductions in Force or RIFs) while the government is shutdown. The legislation was blocked from passage by Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI).

"Our troops and federal workers shouldn't be used as political pawns in this shutdown fight. They never signed up to have their paychecks used as leverage. They shouldn't be punished because President Trump refuses to negotiate a deal with Congress to re-open our government and has refused to take any action to prevent massive health care cost increases for Minnesota families," said Senator Smith. "This is a commonsense, straightforward bill that would take federal workers and troops out of the crosshairs of a shutdown fight without handing over more unchecked power to President Trump and his unelected lackey, Russell Vought."

The Senators' legislation is endorsed by major labor unions that represent federal employees across the country, including:

• American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE)
• National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE)
• American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME)
• International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE)
• The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO)
• National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU)

Background on the True Shutdown Fairness Act:

The True Shutdown Fairness Act would immediately restart pay for all excepted and furloughed federal workers, servicemembers, and federal contractors during the current shutdown. The Senators' legislation also includes a prohibition on Reductions In Force while the federal government is shut down. Federal employees are ensured retroactive pay after a shutdown ends due to the Government Employee Fair Treatment Act - legislation that was signed into law by President Trump in 2019.

The legislation is cosponsored by Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Gary Peters (D-MI), Patty Murray (D-WA), Mark Warner (D-VA), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Chris Coons (D-DE), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Ed Markey (D-MA), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Peter Welch (D-VT), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Mark Kelly (D-AZ) and Raphael Warnock (D-GA).