Bills · S 2948
IN COMMITTEE· 119TH CONGRESS
Senate BillS 2948Government Operations and Politics
Help FEDS Act
INTRO SEP 30· LAST ACTION SEP 30
READING
3MIN
COSPONSORS
6
READER REACTIONS0 TOTAL
NO VOTES YET · BE THE FIRST
- Introduced only
LEGISLATIVE PROGRESS
STEP 2 / 8Introduced
In Committee
Reported
Passed Senate
Passed House
Conference
To President
Became Law
WHAT THE BILL DOES
AI-writtenThis bill matters because government shutdowns can cause significant financial hardship for federal employees, especially those who are required to work without pay. These essential workers often struggle to cover basic living expenses when their paychecks are delayed, leading to stress, missed payments, and potential impacts on their ability to focus on critical work.
If this bill becomes law, it would provide a safety net for these workers, ensuring they have some income during a shutdown and reducing the immediate financial strain on their families. Without this bill, essential federal employees would continue to work without pay and without access to unemployment benefits, exacerbating the financial pressure on them during a shutdown. It also shifts the financial burden of these benefits from state unemployment funds directly to a federal fund, potentially making states more willing to provide the benefits.
KEY PROVISIONS
4AI-extractedPROVISION 01
States must allow 'excepted' federal employees to apply for and receive unemployment compensation benefits during a government shutdown in fiscal years 2026 or 2027.
This provision creates a financial safety net for essential federal workers who are forced to work without pay during specific future government shutdowns.
PROVISION 02
If an 'excepted' federal employee later receives back pay for the period they received unemployment compensation, they must repay the unemployment benefits to the state.
This prevents employees from being paid twice for the same period and ensures fairness in the system.
PROVISION 03
The U.S. Treasury will fully reimburse states for 100% of the unemployment compensation paid to these federal employees and for any related administrative expenses.
This ensures states are not financially burdened by providing these benefits and encourages their participation in the program.
PROVISION 04
Funds for these reimbursements will come from the federal Unemployment Trust Fund.
This specifies the funding source, utilizing an existing federal mechanism for unemployment-related expenditures.
SPONSORSHIP
1 + 6
D· Maryland
YRS IN OFFICE
1
BILLS LED
38
COSPONSOR BREAKDOWNBIPARTISAN · 0%
DEM 6 REP 0 IND 0
ACTION TIMELINE
2 EVENTSSEP 30
Introduced in Senate
SEP 30
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
BILL INFO
TypeSenate Bill
NumberS 2948
Congress119th
StatusIn Committee
IntroducedSep 30, 2025
Last actionSep 30, 2025
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IN COMMITTEE· 119TH CONGRESS · FINANCE COMMITTEE · INTRODUCED SEP 30, 2025
Senate BillS 2948Government Operations and Politics
Help FEDS Act
INTRODUCED SEP 30, 2025· LAST ACTION SEP 30, 2025
PASSAGE CHANCES
—%
READING
3 min
COSPONSORS
6
COMPLEXITY
Moderate
