Bill Summary
The "Pay Our Capitol Police Act" is legislation aimed at ensuring that officers, employees, and contractors of the Capitol Police continue to receive their salaries and benefits during a government shutdown that began on October 1, 2025. The Act appropriates necessary funds for fiscal year 2026 to cover standard pay, allowances, and benefits for Capitol Police personnel who work during the shutdown period. It also provides provisions for compensating contractors who support these personnel. The appropriations will remain in effect until a new funding measure for the Capitol Police is enacted or until September 30, 2026, whichever comes first. Importantly, the Act is retroactively effective as of September 30, 2025, ensuring that compensation obligations are met from the start of the shutdown.
Possible Impacts
Here are three examples of how the "Pay Our Capitol Police Act" could affect people:
1. **Financial Security for Capitol Police Officers and Employees**: The legislation ensures that officers and employees of the Capitol Police receive their regular pay, allowances, and benefits even during a government shutdown. This provision provides financial stability for those individuals and their families, allowing them to meet their living expenses without the stress of income interruption. It helps maintain morale and operational readiness among law enforcement personnel responsible for security at the Capitol.
2. **Support for Contractors**: The act also includes provisions for contractors who support Capitol Police operations. By ensuring that these contractors are compensated during the shutdown, the legislation helps maintain essential services and operations that may rely on contracted support. This could positively impact the contractors and their employees, ensuring job security and financial stability during uncertain times.
3. **Impact on Legislative Functioning**: By providing funding to the Capitol Police during a government shutdown, the act indirectly supports the functioning of Congress and the legislative process. A well-funded security force is crucial for maintaining order and safety in the Capitol, which is essential for legislative activities. This can affect all members of Congress and their staff, as well as the public who engage with the legislative process, ensuring that the government can operate effectively even in times of financial uncertainty.
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3094 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 3094
To ensure that officers, employees, and contractors of the Capitol
Police are paid during the Government shutdown that began on October 1,
2025, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
November 3, 2025
Mr. Lujan (for himself and Mr. Heinrich) introduced the following bill;
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Appropriations
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To ensure that officers, employees, and contractors of the Capitol
Police are paid during the Government shutdown that began on October 1,
2025, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Pay Our Capitol Police Act''.
SEC. 2. APPROPRIATIONS TO PAY OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES, AND CONTRACTORS OF
THE CAPITOL POLICE DURING THE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN
BEGINNING ON OCTOBER 1, 2025.
(a) Appropriations.--For fiscal year 2026, there are appropriated,
out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, such sums
as are necessary to provide, with respect to the period of the lapse in
interim continuing appropriations and full-year appropriations for
fiscal year 2026 for the Capitol Police that began on October 1, 2025--
(1) standard rates of pay, allowances, pay differentials,
benefits, and other payments otherwise payable on a regular
basis to all officers and employees of the Capitol Police with
respect to any period of work performed by such officers and
employees during such period; and
(2) payment to contractors of the Capitol Police whom the
Chief of the Capitol Police determines are providing support to
officers and employees of the Capitol Police described in
paragraph (1) during such period.
(b) Charging of Expenditures.--Expenditures made pursuant to
subsection (a) shall be charged to the applicable appropriation for the
Capitol Police whenever a regular appropriation bill or a measure
making continuing appropriations for the Capitol Police becomes law.
(c) Termination.--Appropriations and funds made available and
authority granted under subsection (a) shall be available until
whichever of the following first occurs:
(1) The enactment into law of appropriations (including a
continuing appropriation) for the Capitol Police for any
purpose for which amounts are made available in subsection (a).
(2) The enactment into law of appropriations (including a
continuing appropriation) for the legislative branch without
any appropriation for such purpose.
(3) September 30, 2026.
(d) Retroactive Effective Date.--This Act shall take effect as if
enacted on September 30, 2025.
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