Essential workers left unpaid after Senate Democrats kill pay bill
Johnson-Young legislation would have compensated federal employees and military during current and future shutdowns
By Leo Briceno , Elizabeth Elkind Fox News
Published October 23, 2025 1:18pm EDT
Democrats blocked a Republican-led attempt to provide essential government workers with paychecks amid an ongoing, 23-day shutdown, calling the bill overly selective and incomplete.
That bill, proposed by Sens. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., and Todd Young, R-Ind., failed in a 54-45 vote, where 60 votes were needed to advance the bill over the threat of a filibuster.
Only three Democrats, John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, and Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff of Georgia, voted with Republicans.
In addition to compensating federal employees and military personnel during the current shutdown, the bill would also extend relief to future instances where funding bills aren’t in effect.
"For fiscal year 2026, and any fiscal year thereafter, there are appropriated such sums as are necessary to provide standard rates of pay, allowances, pay differentials, benefits, and other payments on a regular basis to excepted employees," the bill reads.
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https://www.foxnews.com/politics/essential-workers-left-unpaid-after-senate-democrats-kill-pay-bill
