Press Releases

Congressman Don Beyer (D-VA), who represents a Northern Virginia district with one of the largest concentrations of federal employees and contractors in the U.S. House, today responded to reports that the Trump Administration may try to deny back pay to federal employees impacted by the ongoing government shutdown. Beyer was the sponsor of bipartisan House legislation, co-led by Rep. Rob Wittman (R-VA), mirroring Senate legislation enacted in 2019 that guarantees retroactive pay to federal employees impacted by any lapse in appropriations.

Beyer said:

“Federal employees are guaranteed back pay at the end of any shutdown by law without question or exception.

“This is clearly and unambiguously stated in the Government Employee Fair Treatment Act, which Congress passed nearly unanimously in 2019. Speaker Johnson and Senate Majority Leader Thune voted for that bill, and President Trump signed it into law. The Trump Administration recently issued guidance that ‘retroactive pay for period of furlough and excepted work will be provided after the laps ends as required by law.’ Speaker Johnson’s own website correctly affirms that, ‘Under federal law, employees are entitled to back pay upon the government reopening.’

“The Trump Administration is trying to frighten federal employees and their families as a negotiating tactic, which is despicable. The President and Republican leaders should instead be using this time and effort to work with Democrats on a deal that reopens the government, protects Americans’ health care, and prevents huge price increases.

“Federal employees should know that these threats are hollow, and they will be paid when this shutdown ends, as the law requires.”