Federal Layoffs Barred Temporarily Under Bill to End Shutdown

A stopgap measure proposed by Senate Republicans to end the longest-ever government shutdown would fund agencies through Jan. 30 and bar President Donald Trump from firing federal workers during that time.

The Senate Appropriations Committee published a continuing resolution to fund the government through the last Friday in January. Republicans aim to enact a package of three full-year government funding bills covering agriculture, veterans’ programs, and Congress itself, and rely on the stopgap for other departments.

Senate Democrats huddled late Sunday to determine if they would accept the offer.

The 31-page bill would bar any department from initiating a “reduction in force” — effectively referring to layoffs — while the measure is in effect, through Jan. 30. Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) had led an effort to secure promises that Trump would not strike a deal to end the shutdown and then quickly fire federal workers.

The measure also would require that federal workers who were laid off during the shutdown be reinstated and given back pay.

The measure also includes language allowing agencies to provide back pay to workers who were furloughed during the shutdown. Congress enacted a law in 2019 making back pay automatic for furloughed workers when a shutdown ends, but the Trump administration had raised doubts as to whether the retroactive pay was actually automatic.

Another section of the legislation, posted separately by the committee, would also extend authorizations under the five-year farm bill.