S 2982 — Federal Employees Civil Relief Act
Last action — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
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✓Introduced
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2In Committee
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3Passed Senate
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4Passed House
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5To Executive
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6Enacted
This bill is in committee in the Senate. Introduced October 07, 2025. It must pass committee before a floor vote.
Next likely step: a committee vote, then a floor vote in the Senate.
Odds of enactment
Low chanceBased on the sponsor, cosponsors, and committee posture, this bill has a low chance of becoming law.
Upgrade to see the exact probability and what's driving it.
A statistical estimate from our own model of past outcomes — an insight, not a guarantee. Policymaking is volatile.
Prognosis
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In Committee
Current position in the legislative process.
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20 sponsors
1 primary, 19 co-sponsors signed on.
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Bipartisan support
Sponsored across 2 parties (19 D · 1 I) — cross-party backing.
Based on stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes, and cross-state momentum — a description of the observable signals, not a prediction.
Summary
Federal Employees Civil Relief Act This bill establishes a framework to temporarily suspend certain judicial and administrative proceedings against a federal employee or contractor during a shutdown. Under the bill, a shutdown is a period in which (1) there is more than a 24-hour lapse in appropriations for any federal agency or department because a regular appropriations bill or a continuing resolution has not been enacted, or (2) the debt of the federal government is greater than the statutory limit. A federal worker (i.e., an employee of a government agency or contractor) who is furloughed or required to work without pay during a shutdown may apply to a court for a temporary stay, postponement, or suspension with respect to any payment of rent, mortgage, tax, fine, penalty, insurance premium, student loan repayment, or other civil obligation or liability that the worker owes or would owe during the duration of the shutdown. The bill includes related provisions that restrict evictions, foreclosures, the enforcement of liens, and the termination of insurance policies during a shutdown. It also provides for the deferral of federal income taxes and student loan payments during a shutdown. The Department of Justice may commence a civil action against any person who engages in (1) a pattern or practice of violating the requirements of this bill, or (2) a violation that raises an issue of significant public importance. A person aggrieved by a violation of this bill's requirements may also bring a private right of action.
Bill Text
- Introduced Introduced in Senate Current html October 07, 2025
Action History
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Introduced in Senate
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Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
Sponsors
- Brian Schatz · Primary
- Charles E. Schumer · Cosponsor
- Richard J. Durbin · Cosponsor
- Alex Padilla · Cosponsor
- Bernard Sanders · Cosponsor
- Chris Van Hollen · Cosponsor
- Richard Blumenthal · Cosponsor
- Kirsten E. Gillibrand · Cosponsor
- Angela D. Alsobrooks · Cosponsor
- Elizabeth Warren · Cosponsor
- Tammy Duckworth · Cosponsor
- Mazie K. Hirono · Cosponsor
- Tim Kaine · Cosponsor
- Tammy Baldwin · Cosponsor
- Catherine Cortez Masto · Cosponsor
- Amy Klobuchar · Cosponsor
- Cory A. Booker · Cosponsor
- Martin Heinrich · Cosponsor
- Mark R. Warner · Cosponsor
- Jeff Merkley · Cosponsor
Sponsorship breakdown
Export CSV (upgrade) →1 sponsors · 19 co-sponsors · 527 not signed on
Sponsors (1)
- Schatz, Brian Democratic
Co-sponsors (19)
- Schumer, Charles E. Democratic
- Durbin, Richard J. Democratic
- Padilla, Alex Democratic
- Sanders, Bernard Independent
- Van Hollen, Chris Democratic
- Blumenthal, Richard Democratic
- Gillibrand, Kirsten E. Democratic
- Alsobrooks, Angela D. Democratic
- Warren, Elizabeth Democratic
- Duckworth, Tammy Democratic
- Hirono, Mazie K. Democratic
- Kaine, Tim Democratic
- Baldwin, Tammy Democratic
- Cortez Masto, Catherine Democratic
- Klobuchar, Amy Democratic
- Booker, Cory A. Democratic
- Heinrich, Martin Democratic
- Warner, Mark R. Democratic
- Merkley, Jeff Democratic
Not signed on (527)
527 members have not signed on to this bill.
Show all 527 →"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.
Subjects
Frequently asked questions
- What does S 2982 do?
- Federal Employees Civil Relief Act This bill establishes a framework to temporarily suspend certain judicial and administrative proceedings against a federal employee or contractor during a shutdown. Under the bill, a shutdown is a period in which (1) there is more than a 24-hour lapse in appropriations for any federal agency or department because a regular appropriations bill or a continuing resolution has not been enacted, or (2) the debt of the federal government is greater than the statutory limit. A federal worker (i.e., an employee of a government agency or contractor) who is furloughed or required to work without pay during a shutdown may apply to a court for a temporary stay, postponement, or suspension with respect to any payment of rent, mortgage, tax, fine, penalty, insurance premium, student loan repayment, or other civil obligation or liability that the worker owes or would owe during the duration of the shutdown. The bill includes related provisions that restrict evictions, foreclosures, the enforcement of liens, and the termination of insurance policies during a shutdown. It also provides for the deferral of federal income taxes and student loan payments during a shutdown. The Department of Justice may commence a civil action against any person who engages in (1) a pattern or practice of violating the requirements of this bill, or (2) a violation that raises an issue of significant public importance. A person aggrieved by a violation of this bill's requirements may also bring a private right of action.
- Who sponsors S 2982?
- S 2982 is sponsored by Schatz, Brian (Democratic), Schumer, Charles E. (Democratic), Durbin, Richard J. (Democratic), Padilla, Alex (Democratic), Sanders, Bernard (Independent), Van Hollen, Chris (Democratic), Blumenthal, Richard (Democratic), Gillibrand, Kirsten E. (Democratic), Alsobrooks, Angela D. (Democratic), Warren, Elizabeth (Democratic), Duckworth, Tammy (Democratic), Hirono, Mazie K. (Democratic), Kaine, Tim (Democratic), Baldwin, Tammy (Democratic), Cortez Masto, Catherine (Democratic), Klobuchar, Amy (Democratic), Booker, Cory A. (Democratic), Heinrich, Martin (Democratic), Warner, Mark R. (Democratic), and Merkley, Jeff (Democratic).
- What is the current status of S 2982?
- This bill is in committee in the Senate. Introduced October 07, 2025. It must pass committee before a floor vote.
- Where can I track S 2982?
- Track S 2982 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.
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