Senate Democrats block GOP bill to pay military, TSA, air traffic controllers amid federal shutdown

Senate Democrats on Thursday blocked a Republican-led bill to pay the military, Transportation Security Administration employees, and air traffic controllers amid the government shutdown.

Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., sponsored the Shutdown Fairness Act of 2025, which Democrats blocked in a 54-45 vote, The Hill news outlet reported. It needed 60 votes to pass.

The bill would have paid active-duty military members, as well as air traffic controllers, Transportation Security Administration agents, park rangers, federal law enforcement, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers, and Border Patrol agents, who are on duty throughout the shutdown, Senate Majority Leader John Thune said.

He also said the bill also included more than 300 congressional employees, including U.S. Capitol Police, who worked overnight Tuesday and Wednesday morning to keep the Senate floor open while Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., spoke for 22 hours and 37 minutes in protest of President Trump.

Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said the Republican bill was a “ruse” that would give Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought broad authority to pick and choose which federal departments to reopen.

“It’s nothing more than another tool for Trump to hurt federal workers and American families and to keep this shutdown going for as long as he wants,” the New York Democrat said on the Senate floor. “We will not give Donald Trump a license to play politics with people’s livelihoods. That’s why we oppose this.”

Johnson claimed Democrats were mischaracterizing his bill, asserting that federal law states clearly which federal employees are essential during a government shutdown.

Democratic Sens. Chris Van Hollen, Md., and Gary Peters, Mich., introduced an alternative bill to pay all federal employees and contractors during the shutdown, and prevent the Trump administration from attempting “reductions in force,” or mass layoffs.

Van Hollen requested unanimous consent to approve his bill on the Senate floor on Thursday, but Johnson objected.

After the House-passed continuing resolution failed to pass the Senate for the 12th time on Wednesday, Republicans are hoping to split Democrats by holding votes on separate funding bills, POLITICO reported.

Thune on Wednesday made two other bills available for a vote: Sen. Dan Sullivan's, R-Alaska, bill to pay service members, and Sen. Ted Cruz's, R-Texas, bill to pay TSA employees and air traffic controllers.

Republicans are also discussing voting on a bill from Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., that would fund Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits for the entire shutdown.

Another CR may also be passed to extend government funding through early next year, as the expiration date for the one passed by the House is Nov. 21, just a few weeks away.

Thune told the Washington Examiner on Wednesday that the Senate will vote Thursday on a measure that pays all “excepted” federal employees, meaning those who must continue to work during a government shutdown. However, the legislation is expected to fail as Senate Democrats have a competing bill that also pays furloughed workers.

“They’re kind of rifle shots. My preference, always, is just to open up the government, then all this stuff would not be an issue,” Thune said. “I just think that at some point, we all want to pay them all. But you got people defending the country.”