H.R. 720: To deem Federal employees excepted from furlough during a Government shutdown in fiscal year 2019 to be eligible for unemployment compensation, and for other purposes.

116th Congress · introduced 2019-01-23 · Government Operations and Politics · Latest: Referred to the Subcommittee on Worker and Family Support.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2019-01-23 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Brown, Anthony G. [D-MD-4] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Referred to the Subcommittee on Worker and Family Support. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

To deem Federal employees excepted from furlough during a Government shutdown in fiscal year 2019 to be eligible for unemployment compensation, and for other purposes.

Plain summary

This bill states that with respect to the lapse in appropriations beginning on or around December 22, 2018, a federal employee who is excepted from furlough (i.e., who continues to work during the lapse in appropriations) and is not paid is eligible for unemployment compensation benefits.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

To deem Federal employees excepted from furlough during a Government shutdown in fiscal year 2019 to be eligible for unemployment compensation, and for other purposes.

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Brown, Anthony G. [D-MD-4] · 23 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Jamie Raskin (D-MD), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Donald S. Beyer, Jr. (D-VA), Lori Trahan (D-MA), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ), Doris O. Matsui (D-CA), Betty McCollum (D-MN), Chris Pappas (D-NH), Scott H. Peters (D-CA), Frederica S. Wilson (D-FL), Steve Cohen (D-TN), Julia Brownley (D-CA), Salud O. Carbajal (D-CA), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Thomas R. Suozzi (D-NY), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ)

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (3)

Appropriation: Money a legislature sets aside by law for a specific purpose. Government agencies may spend public money only as it has been appropriated.
Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
Fiscal year: The 12-month period a government uses for its budget. The federal fiscal year runs from October 1 to September 30 and is named for the calendar year in which it ends. Most states use July 1 to June 30.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-116hr720.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/116/hr>

Record fed-us-cong116-hr720 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong116 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong116