House Resolution 1858
By: Representatives Davis of the 87th, Scott of the 76th, and Schofield of the 63rd
A RESOLUTION
Urging Georgia's congressional delegation to pass the Essential Worker Pay Protection Act
and codify permanent protections for essential federal employees during government
shutdowns; and for other purposes.
WHEREAS, this resolution shall be known and may be cited as "The Essential Worker Pay
Protection Resolution"; and
WHEREAS, federal government shutdowns create significant hardship for essential federal
employees, including air traffic controllers, law enforcement officers, military personnel,
security forces, TSA security officers, and federal medical staff, who are often required to
work without pay until appropriations are restored; and
WHEREAS, these workers provide critical services that ensure public safety, national
security, transportation stability, and healthcare continuity for millions of Americans,
including residents of the State of Georgia; and
WHEREAS, requiring essential employees to continue working without timely compensation
places undue financial strain on working families and undermines workforce morale and
stability; and
WHEREAS, delayed or withheld pay during federal shutdowns disproportionately impacts
middle– and lower-income households, many of whom live paycheck to paycheck and
cannot absorb interruptions in income; and
WHEREAS, federal shutdowns are a recurring issue, demonstrating a systemic failure to
protect the financial security of essential workers who are required to report to duty
regardless of political impasse; and
WHEREAS, members of the Georgia General Assembly, including Representatives Viola
Davis, Kim Schofield, and Sandra G. Scott, have called upon Georgia's federal congressional
delegation to take immediate action to protect essential workers; and
WHEREAS, the proposed Essential Worker Pay Protection Act of 2025 would ensure that
essential federal employees continue to receive their pay during any government shutdown
and guarantee backpay for all affected workers once operations resume; and
WHEREAS, it is both a moral obligation and a matter of sound public policy to ensure that
those who serve the nation are not subjected to financial instability due to lapses in federal
appropriations.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that
the members of this body urge Georgia's congressional delegation to introduce and pass the
Essential Worker Pay Protection Act of 2025, ensuring uninterrupted pay for essential federal
employees during any government shutdown; guarantee retroactive backpay for all
furloughed or unpaid federal workers once government operations resume; and establish
permanent federal protections that prevent essential workers from being required to work
without compensation during future shutdowns.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk of the House of Representatives is authorized
and directed to make appropriate copies of this resolution available for distribution to the
members of the Georgia Congressional Delegation.