House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries has expressed opposition to a standalone Senate bill aimed at compensating federal workers and military members during the ongoing government shutdown. He described the legislation as a political ploy that would give President Donald Trump discretion over payments. This stance comes as Democrats have repeatedly blamed Republicans for the shutdown's impact on employees.
During a Monday press conference on October 20, 2025, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) stated he would not support a Senate bill expected to be voted on that week. The bill seeks to ensure that members of the military and federal workers who have continued reporting to work receive their next paychecks despite the shutdown.
Jeffries criticized the proposal, saying, “It appears to be more like a political ploy giving Donald Trump discretion over which employees should be compensated and which employees should not be compensated. All employees should be compensated, and that will happen when we reopen the government.” This position contrasts with Democrats' earlier efforts to highlight the shutdown's hardships, including blaming Republicans for unpaid federal employees.
The legislation would mitigate some Democrat complaints about the shutdown's broad effects. Previously, Democrats raised concerns about the Women, Infants, and Children (W.I.C.) program benefits running out, potentially affecting young mothers and their children. However, the Trump administration identified untapped funds to cover that gap.
Democrats also pointed to halted military payments as a key issue, but President Trump soon redirected funds from the Pentagon to guarantee service members received pay on the 15th. Jeffries' remarks, captured in a Daily Caller tweet, underscore ongoing partisan tensions as the shutdown persists.