H.R. 5708: Federal Employees Civil Relief Act

119th Congress · introduced 2025-10-08 · Government Operations and Politics · Latest: Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committees on Financial Services, Ways and Means, the Judiciary, Education and Workforce, and House Administration, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

federal

What does this mean?

Official title

Federal Employees Civil Relief Act

Plain summary

Federal Employees Civil Relief Act This bill establishes a framework to temporarily suspend certain judicial and administrative proceedings against a federal employee or contractor during a shutdown. Under the bill, a shutdown is a period in which (1) there is more than a 24-hour lapse in appropriations for any federal agency or department because a regular appropriations bill or a continuing resolution has not been enacted, or (2) the debt of the federal government is greater than the statutory limit. A federal worker (i.e., an employee of a government agency or contractor) who is furloughed or required to work without pay during a shutdown may apply to a court for a temporary stay, postponement, or suspension with respect to any payment of rent, mortgage, tax, fine, penalty, insurance premium, student loan repayment, or other civil obligation or liability that the worker owes or would owe during the duration of the shutdown. The bill includes related provisions that restrict evictions, foreclosures, the enforcement of liens, and the termination of insurance policies during a shutdown. It also provides for the deferral of federal income taxes and student loan payments during a shutdown. The Department of Justice may commence a civil action against any person who engages in (1) a pattern or practice of violating the requirements of this bill, or (2) a violation that raises an issue of significant public importance. A person aggrieved by a violation of this bill's requirements may also bring a private right of action.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

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What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Federal Employees Civil Relief Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Boyle, Brendan F. [D-PA-2] · 15 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Emily Randall (D-WA), Gwen Moore (D-WI), Troy A. Carter (D-LA), Andrea Salinas (D-OR), Jennifer L. McClellan (D-VA), Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (D-VA), Chellie Pingree (D-ME), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Wesley Bell (D-MO), Sarah Elfreth (D-MD), Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), André Carson (D-IN), Jonathan L. Jackson (D-IL), Jill N. Tokuda (D-HI), William R. Keating (D-MA)

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Boyle, Brendan F. [D-PA-2] reported raising $2.9 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

Words on this page, explained (5)

Appropriation: Money a legislature sets aside by law for a specific purpose. Government agencies may spend public money only as it has been appropriated.
Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
Continuing resolution: A temporary law that keeps government agencies funded, usually at the previous year's levels, when the regular yearly spending bills are not finished by the start of the fiscal year.
Obligation: A binding promise by a government agency to pay money, for example by signing a contract or awarding a grant. Spending data such as USAspending.gov counts money when it is obligated, which can be before it is actually paid out.
Statute: A written law passed by a legislature. A statute can be changed by a later law; changing a constitution needs an amendment.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-119hr5708.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/119/hr>

Record fed-us-cong119-hr5708 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong119 · updated 2026-11-03 by psicol fed-bills