PSI Sci

Before you vote › Federal bills

H.R. 5657: Fair Pay for Federal Contractors Act of 2025

119th Congress · introduced 2025-09-30 · Government Operations and Politics · Latest: Referred to the Committee on Appropriations, and in addition to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

federal

What does this mean?

Official title

Fair Pay for Federal Contractors Act of 2025

Plain summary

Fair Pay for Federal Contractors Act of 2025 This bill provides back pay to employees of federal contractors who lost pay due to a lapse in appropriations (i.e., government shutdown) in FY2026. Specifically, the bill provides appropriations for federal agencies that are subject to a lapse in appropriations in FY2026 to adjust the price of contracts to compensate federal contractors for providing back pay to employees who were affected by the lapse in appropriations. The agencies must adjust the price of any contract for which the contractor stopped, suspended, delayed, or interrupted all or part of the work under the contract due to the lapse in appropriations. The price adjustment must compensate the contractor for reasonable costs incurred to (1) compensate employees who were furloughed or laid off, were not working, or experienced a reduction of hours or compensation due to the lapse in appropriations; or (2) restore paid leave taken by employees during the lapse in appropriations if the contractor required or permitted employees to use paid leave as a result of the lapse in appropriations. The maximum amount of weekly compensation of an employee for which an adjustment may be made under this bill may not exceed the lesser of (1) the employee's actual weekly compensation, or (2) $1,442 (or a lesser amount pro-rated for an employee who works less than 40 hours per week). The bill also requires the Office of Federal Procurement Policy to submit a report to Congress on the adjustments made under this bill.

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

Fair Pay for Federal Contractors Act of 2025

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

AI explanation – may be wrong, check the official text

No AI explanation yet. It takes up to a minute to write and is then saved for everyone.

Limited to a few requests an hour per person.

The strongest published arguments

Arguments for (supporters)

Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

Arguments against (opponents)

Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

Alternatives

Needs sources: no published alternatives yet (for example a different bill, a law instead of an amendment, or keeping current law). We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Pressley, Ayanna [D-MA-7] · 138 cosponsors

Money: No cost estimate published yet. No linked contracts or vendors yet.

Words on this page, explained (2)
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).

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong119-hr5657 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong119 · updated 2026-11-03 by psicol fed-bills