I 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1988 
To amend chapter 85 of title 5, United States Code, to clarify that Federal 
civilian and military personnel excepted from a furlough during a Govern-
ment shutdown are eligible for unemployment compensation, and for 
other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 10, 2025 
Mrs. DINGELL (for herself, Ms. DELBENE, Ms. TLAIB, Mrs. MCIVER, Ms. 
VELA´ZQUEZ, and Ms. SEWELL) introduced the following bill; which was 
referred to the Committee on Ways and Means 
A BILL 
To amend chapter 85 of title 5, United States Code, to 
clarify that Federal civilian and military personnel ex-
cepted from a furlough during a Government shutdown 
are eligible for unemployment compensation, and for 
other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Pay Federal Workers 
and Servicemembers Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. ELIGIBILITY FOR UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION 
FOR FEDERAL CIVILIAN AND MILITARY PER-
SONNEL EXCEPTED FROM FURLOUGH DUR-
ING GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN. 
(a) FEDERAL CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter I of chapter 85 
of title 5, United States Code, is amended by adding 
at the end the following: 
‘‘§ 8510. Eligibility for unemployment compensation 
for Federal personnel excepted from fur-
lough during Government shutdown 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—With respect to any lapse in ap-
propriations beginning on or after March 14, 2025, each 
covered employee shall be, solely for the purpose of deter-
mining eligibility for unemployment compensation under 
this subchapter or subchapter II (as the case may be), 
deemed for the duration of the lapse in appropriations to 
be— 
‘‘(1) totally separated from Federal service; and 
‘‘(2) eligible for unemployment compensation 
benefits under the applicable subchapter with no 
waiting period for such eligibility to accrue. 
‘‘(b) COVERED EMPLOYEE DEFINED.—In this sec-
tion, the term ‘covered employee’ means any of the fol-
lowing Federal personnel who are excepted from furlough 
and are not being paid due to a lapse in appropriations: 
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‘‘(1) Any member of the Armed Forces or the 
Commissioned Corps of the National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration. 
‘‘(2) Any Federal civilian employee who is an 
excepted employee or an employee performing emer-
gency work, as such terms are defined by the Office 
of Personnel Management.’’. 
(2) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sec-
tions for such subchapter is amended by adding at 
the end the following: 
‘‘8510. Eligibility for unemployment compensation for Federal personnel ex-
cepted from furlough during Government shutdown.’’. 
(a) APPLICATION.—The amendment made by sub-
section (a) shall apply to weeks of unemployment begin-
ning on or after March 14, 2025. 
Æ 
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