Brian Schatz (D-HI)
Federal Employees Civil Relief Act
A Democratic bill with 18 Democratic cosponsors · See all 19 cosponsors
Last activity — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The Federal Employees Civil Relief Act is designed to temporarily suspend certain civil liabilities for federal workers and their contractors during a government shutdown or a breach of the debt limit. It provides legal protections against evictions, foreclosures, and the loss of insurance coverage when a worker's ability to pay is materially affected. Federal workers may apply to courts for stays or adjustments to obligations such as rent, mortgages, and student loans. The Act also includes provisions for deferring income tax payments and preventing student loan defaults. Additionally, it establishes protections against adverse credit reporting and financial retaliation.
Yes· 3 of 9
- Scored +6
Does this reduce what student borrowers owe or repay?
The bill provides student loan deferment where principal payments are not required and interest does not accrue during a shutdown.
- Scored +5
Would students be better off under this?
The bill facilitates student loan deferment during government shutdowns.
- Scored +5
Does this make housing cost less?
The bill provides legal stays against evictions and foreclosures for federal workers during a shutdown.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Protection Against Eviction: Landlords may be prevented from evicting federal workers from their residences during a shutdown without a court order (Section 6).
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Mortgage and Foreclosure Relief: Courts can stay proceedings or adjust obligations for mortgages and property interests to help workers whose ability to pay is affected by a shutdown (Section 7).
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Lien Protections: Federal workers are protected from the foreclosure or enforcement of liens on their property or motor vehicles without a prior court order (Section 8).
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Student Loan Deferment: Workers are eligible for student loan deferment where principal payments are not required and interest does not accrue during the covered period (Section 9).
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Tax Deferral: The collection of federal income tax can be deferred for up to 90 days after a shutdown ends without interest or penalties accruing (Section 10).
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Insurance Continuity: Covered insurance policies, such as health, life, and motor vehicle insurance, are protected from lapsing or terminating due to nonpayment during a shutdown (Section 11).
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Protection of Credit Standing: Using these legal protections will not be used as a basis for lenders to deny credit or report adverse information to consumer reporting agencies (Section 12).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Exclusion of Child Support: The protections provided by this Act do not apply to child support payments (Section 4).
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Exclusion of Criminal Proceedings: The Act does not apply to criminal proceedings (Section 4).
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Tax Limitation: The deferral of income tax does not apply to taxes imposed on employees under section 3101 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (Section 10).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would students be better off under this? — The bill facilitates student loan deferment during government shutdowns. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — The bill protects workers from losing housing, insurance, or falling into student loan default during a loss of income. Would middle-income households be better off under this? — The bill offers essential protections for mortgages, rent, and taxes for federal employees. Would union members be better off under this? — The bill provides specific financial stability protections for government employees and their contractors.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Does this make housing cost less? — The bill provides legal stays against evictions and foreclosures for federal workers during a shutdown. Is this likely to lift people out of poverty? — The bill offers financial relief through student loan deferment and tax payment postponement.
- Education And Technology
- Does this reduce what student borrowers owe or repay? — The bill provides student loan deferment where principal payments are not required and interest does not accrue during a shutdown.
- Economy And Finance
- Does this cut taxes for middle-income families? — The bill allows for a 90-day deferral of federal income tax collection without interest or penalties during a shutdown.
- Healthcare
- Does this lower what people pay for private health insurance? — The bill prevents health insurance policies from lapsing or terminating due to nonpayment during a shutdown.
- 10/27/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 10/7/2025
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
- 18 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in Senate
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Angela AlsobrooksDemocrat · Maryland
Tammy BaldwinDemocrat · Wisconsin
Richard BlumenthalDemocrat · Connecticut
Cory BookerDemocrat · New Jersey
Catherine Cortez MastoDemocrat · Nevada
Richard DurbinDemocrat · Illinois
Tammy DuckworthDemocrat · Illinois
Kirsten GillibrandDemocrat · New York
Mazie HironoDemocrat · Hawaii
Martin HeinrichDemocrat · New Mexico
Amy KlobucharDemocrat · Minnesota
Timothy KaineDemocrat · Virginia
Jeff MerkleyDemocrat · Oregon
Alex PadillaDemocrat · California
Bernie SandersIndependent · Vermont
Charles SchumerDemocrat · New York
Chris Van HollenDemocrat · Maryland
Mark WarnerDemocrat · Virginia
Elizabeth WarrenDemocrat · Massachusetts