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To prohibit Executive agencies from carrying out a reduction in force, or any similar effort, during any period during which there is a lapse in appropriations, and for other purposes.
Summary
The SAFE Act (Securing Assurance for Federal Employees Act) prohibits Executive agencies from carrying out reductions in force or similar efforts to reduce employee numbers during any period in which there is a lapse in appropriations. Agencies may not use any available funds to propose, notice, initiate, execute, or implement a reduction in force during a government shutdown. The bill voids any reduction in force or similar effort that was proposed, noticed, initiated, executed, or implemented in violation of this prohibition, including those attempted from October 1, 2025 through the date of enactment. The prohibition does not apply to voluntary separation payments offered to employees. The bill is retroactively effective as of September 30, 2025.
AI-generated plain-language summary of the bill text — neutral, and may be imperfect. See the full text below for the exact wording.
Sponsor (1)
- Sen. Warner, Mark R. [D-VA] (D-VA)
10 cosponsors
- Sen. Alsobrooks, Angela D. [D-MD] (D-MD)
- Sen. Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT] (D-CT)
- Sen. Duckworth, Tammy [D-IL] (D-IL)
- Sen. Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [D-NY] (D-NY)
- Sen. Hirono, Mazie K. [D-HI] (D-HI)
- Sen. Kaine, Tim [D-VA] (D-VA)
- Sen. Kim, Andy [D-NJ] (D-NJ)
- Sen. Schumer, Charles E. [D-NY] (D-NY)
- Sen. Van Hollen, Chris [D-MD] (D-MD)
- Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR] (D-OR)
Actions (2)
- Nov 6, 2025 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. · senate
- Nov 6, 2025 Introduced in Senate
Similar bills (6)
Bills with similar text or summary — includes reintroductions across Congresses. Ranked by semantic similarity of the bill text (computed locally); a neutral discovery aid, not a claim the bills are duplicates.
Full text
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
November 6, 2025
Mr. Warner (for himself, Mr. Van Hollen, Mr. Schumer, Ms. Hirono, Mr. Kaine, Ms. Alsobrooks, Mr. Blumenthal, Ms. Duckworth, Mr. Kim, and Mr. Wyden) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
A BILL
To prohibit Executive agencies from carrying out a reduction in force, or any similar effort, during any period during which there is a lapse in appropriations, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the “Securing Assurance for Federal Employees Act” or the “SAFE Act”.
SEC. 2. PROHIBITION ON CARRYING OUT A REDUCTION IN FORCE DURING GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN.
(a) Definition.—In this section, the term “Executive agency” has the meaning given the term in section 105 of title 5, United States Code.
(b) Prohibition.—During a period during which there is a lapse in appropriations with respect to an Executive agency, that Executive agency may not use the funds made available by any Act to propose, notice, initiate, execute, implement, or take any other action relating to a reduction in force, or relating to any similar effort, to reduce the number of employees employed by that or another Executive agency.
(c) Remedy.—With respect to any reduction in force (or similar effort) proposed, noticed, initiated, executed, implemented, or otherwise taken by an Executive agency in violation of subsection (b), including such an action taken with respect to a reduction in force (or similar effort) at any time during the period beginning on October 1, 2025, and ending on the day before the date of enactment of this Act, that reduction in force (or similar effort) shall have no force or effect.
(d) Rule of Construction.—Nothing in this section may be construed to affect a voluntary separation payment offered to an employee under section 3523 of title 5, United States Code.
(e) Retroactive Effective Date.—This section shall take effect as if enacted on September 30, 2025. <all>
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