Key GOP senator offers proposal to pay essential and furloughed workers during shutdown

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: The Hill

10/27/25 8:05 PM ET


Sen. Ron Johnson (Wis.), the lead Senate Republican negotiator on a bill to pay key federal workers during the shutdown, says he has offered Democrats a proposal to pay all federal workers — essential and furloughed federal employees — while federal departments and agencies are shuttered.

Johnson told The Hill that he believes Senate GOP leadership supports his offer, but he says the proposal will be discussed in more detail at the weekly Senate Republican policy luncheon Tuesday. “Are they going to take ‘yes’ for an answer?” Johnson said of whether his Democratic colleagues would accept the latest offer. “We’re willing to add furloughed workers,” he said, calling it a “big” concession.

“Pay them up front. They’re going to get paid anyway,” Johnson said, noting that under the Government Employee Fair Treatment Act of 2019, furloughed federal workers are guaranteed back pay for the time they miss on the job during a shutdown.

“We need to put that vote on the floor,” he said. “Get it all approved by the White House and our leadership.” He said Republican senators would discuss it in more detail Tuesday afternoon.

Read more: https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/5575688-ron-johnson-gop-pay-federal-workers-shutdown/

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“Pay them up front. They’re going to get paid anyway,” Johnson said, noting that under the Government Employee Fair Treatment Act of 2019, furloughed federal workers are guaranteed back pay for the time they miss on the job during a shutdown.

Your dear leader essentially declared the law about back pay was invalid and he could pick and choose who got paid.

Release the Epstein files and Repeal the sunsetting of the ACA subsidies as well as the Medicaid cuts.