Emily Randall

Federal Firefighter Paycheck Protection Act

This bill provides continuing FY2026 appropriations to pay federal firefighters if a government shutdown is in effect. It also prohibits the firefighters from being subject to a reduction in force (RIF) during a government shutdown.

Specifically, the bill provides continuing FY2026 appropriations to provide pay and allowances to federal firefighters during any period in which interim or full-year appropriations for FY2026 are not in effect (i.e., a government shutdown). The bill provides the appropriations until the earlier of (1) the enactment of specified appropriations legislation, or (2) January 1, 2027.

The bill also prohibits federal firefighters from being removed from the civil service due to a RIF during a government shutdown.

Pay Our Public Shipyard Workers Act

This bill provides continuing appropriations to pay public shipyard workers during any period in which interim or full-year appropriations for FY2026 or FY2027 are not in effect (i.e., a government shutdown).

Specifically, the bill provides continuing appropriations to provide pay and allowances to civilian and military public shipyard workers who work during the government shutdown.

If a government shutdown occurs, the bill provides the continuing appropriations until the earlier of (1) the enactment into law of specified appropriations legislation, or (2) January 1, 2027.

Pay Our Military Act

This bill provides continuing appropriations for military pay for any period during which interim or full-year appropriations for FY2026 are not in effect (i.e., a government shutdown).

Specifically, the bill provides FY2026 continuing appropriations for the pay and allowances of (1) members of the Armed Forces, including reserve components, who perform active service or inactive-duty training during the period; and (2) civilian employees and contractors of the Department of Defense (and the Department of Homeland Security in the case of the Coast Guard when the Coast Guard is not operating as a service in the Department of the Navy) who are providing support to such members of the Armed Forces.

If a government shutdown occurs, the bill provides the continuing appropriations until the earlier of (1) the enactment into law of specified appropriations legislation, or (2) January 1, 2027.

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.

Caring for Survivors Act of 2025

This bill increases the monthly rate of dependency and indemnity compensation payable to surviving spouses through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

Dependency and indemnity compensation is a monthly payment made to eligible survivors (i.e., spouses, parents, or children) of (1) certain veterans who died as a result of a service-connected condition; (2) service members killed while on active military duty or active or inactive duty for training; or (3) veterans who did not die from a service-connected condition, but were totally disabled by a service-connected disability for a certain period of time.

The bill also (1) reduces, from 10 years to 5 years, the period of time that certain veterans must have been rated totally disabled due to a service-connected disability in order for a survivor to qualify for benefits; and (2) specifies the amount that is payable to survivors of veterans who were rated totally disabled for a period of less than 10 years before their death.

Feed Our Families Act of 2025

This bill provides appropriations for carrying out the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 during the first 90-day period of a lapse in discretionary appropriations for carrying out the act during any fiscal year beginning after FY2024. The Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 is the authorizing statute for several Department of Agriculture nutrition and food assistance programs, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

Pay Federal Workers and Servicemembers Act

This bill makes federal civilian and military personnel who are excepted from furlough during a government shutdown eligible for unemployment compensation benefits.

During a government shutdown due to a lapse in appropriations, federal employees who are excepted from furlough are required to report for work and perform duties, but their pay is delayed until appropriations legislation is enacted. Under guidance issued by the Department of Labor, excepted employees who are performing services (but whose payment for that work is delayed) are generally ineligible for unemployment compensation benefits based on states' definitions of unemployment.

This bill provides that, for the purpose of determining eligibility for unemployment compensation during a government shutdown, excepted employees are deemed to be (1) totally separated from federal service, and (2) eligible for unemployment compensation benefits with no waiting period for the eligibility to accrue.

The bill applies to the following federal personnel who are excepted from furlough and are not being paid due to a government shutdown: (1) any member of the Armed Forces or the Commissioned Corps of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and (2) any federal civilian employee who is an excepted employee or an employee performing emergency work.

Pay Our Coast Guard Parity Act of 2025

This bill provides continuing appropriations to the Coast Guard for pay and benefits when there is a Coast Guard-specific funding lapse.

Under the bill, a Coast Guard-specific funding lapse occurs when (1) a bill providing appropriations for the Coast Guard for a fiscal year has not been enacted before the beginning of that fiscal year, and no joint resolution providing continuing appropriations for the Coast Guard is in effect; and (2) a bill providing appropriations for the Department of Defense (DOD) for the fiscal year has been enacted before the beginning of the fiscal year, or a joint resolution providing continuing appropriation for DOD is in effect.

If a Coast Guard-specific funding lapse occurs, the bill provides appropriations to the Coast Guard for

• pay and allowances for military members of the Coast Guard who perform active service or inactive-duty training;

• pay and benefits for certain civilian employees and contract employees;

• the payment of a death gratuity;

• payments for travel related to funerals, the dignified transfer of remains, and unit memorial services; and

• the temporary continuation of the basic allowance for housing for dependents of members of the Coast Guard dying on active duty.

The bill generally provides the appropriations to the Coast Guard until the earlier of

• the enactment of specified Coast Guard appropriations legislation,

• the termination of the availability of appropriations for DOD, or

• two weeks after the beginning of the Coast Guard-specific funding lapse.

9/11 Responder and Survivor Health Funding Correction Act of 2025

This bill modifies the World Trade Center Health Program (WTCHP), including by updating the formula for determining the program’s annual funding amounts and authorizing mental health providers to provide certain evaluations under the program.

The WTCHP is a federal health care program (terminating in FY2090) providing responders and survivors with monitoring and treatment of certified medical conditions related to the terrorist attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001. Under current law, the program’s annual federal funding is determined based on the amount specifically appropriated in the previous fiscal year, adjusted for inflation.

The bill establishes a new federal funding formula for FY2026-FY2090 that is generally based on annual changes in the number of enrollees. The bill also increases the amounts the program may spend annually on medical research and activities relating to data collection. The bill requires the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), which administers the program, to submit a report to Congress on the program’s projected budgetary needs and expenditures.

In addition, the bill authorizes licensed mental health providers to perform initial health evaluations with respect to mental health conditions for purposes of determining eligibility under the WTCHP. NIOSH must issue regulations specifying the categories of mental health providers that may perform these activities.

CHAMPVA Children's Care Protection Act of 2025

This bill provides that a child shall be eligible for medical care under the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs (CHAMPVA) until the child's 26th birthday, regardless of the child's marital status.

Love Lives On Act of 2025

This bill extends entitlement for various benefit programs and services for surviving spouses of deceased members of the Armed Forces or veterans.

The bill provides that the remarriage of a surviving spouse must not bar the furnishing of dependency and indemnity compensation or special pension benefits to such spouse.

Additionally, the Department of Defense may not terminate the payment of an annuity for a surviving spouse under the Survivor Benefit Plan solely because the surviving spouse remarries.

The bill also expands the definition of a dependent under TRICARE to include a remarried widow or widower whose subsequent marriage has ended due to death, divorce, or annulment.

This joint resolution nullifies the rule titled Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; Marketplace Integrity and Affordability, which was issued by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services on June 25, 2025.

The rule makes several changes to enrollment requirements for health insurance exchanges, including (1) requiring annual open enrollment periods for all exchanges to begin by November 1 and end by December 31, (2) requiring all exchanges to conduct pre-enrollment verification of eligibility for at least 75% of new enrollments through special enrollment periods, and (3) prohibiting Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients from enrolling in plans through exchanges or in state Basic Health Programs (state programs for certain low-income residents).

The rule also prohibits individual and small group health insurers from covering certain sex-trait modification procedures as an essential health benefit.

This bill prohibits the removal of federal employees from the civil service during a government shutdown due to a lapse in discretionary appropriations. If an employee is removed from the civil service in violation of this bill, the employee may elect to be reinstated with back pay on the date on which the lapse in appropriations ends.

This resolution expresses support for the designation of National Estuaries Week.