Republican Senator Joni Ernst of Iowa has proposed a bill that would require federal agencies to provide detailed reports on the costs of government shutdowns, highlighting the financial impact of prolonged closures on taxpayers. The legislation, known as the Non-Essential Workers Transparency Act, aims to uncover the full costs and lost productivity associated with the current federal shutdown, which has already cost taxpayers over $4 billion in back pay for furloughed employees. Ernst criticizes the Democrats for using the shutdown as a political maneuver, arguing that it has led to a significant financial burden without meaningful legislative progress.
Ernst’s bill would require federal agencies to submit comprehensive reports to the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs within 30 days of the shutdown’s end. These reports would detail each agency’s total number of employees at the start of the shutdown, their annual salary expenses, the number of furloughed workers, and the estimated compensation for those employees during the shutdown period. The proposed legislation also seeks to identify which parts of the federal bureaucracy are considered ‘non-essential’ and should be streamlined to improve government efficiency.
The ongoing government shutdown has sparked a heated partisan debate, with both parties blaming each other for the crisis. The U.S. government has been in a shutdown since October 1, when Congress failed to pass funding legislation for fiscal year 2026. As of Wednesday, the estimated cost of back pay for furloughed employees has reached about $4.4 billion, according to reports from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has denied that Democrats seek to fund healthcare for illegal immigrants, which the Trump administration and Republicans have accused them of doing. Meanwhile, the White House has suggested that the shutdown could lead to irreversible changes to the federal workforce, including new layoffs aimed at reducing the size of the government.
President Donald Trump has been vocal about his desire to shrink the federal government, arguing that the shutdown could lead to necessary cuts and greater efficiency. However, the potential for irreversible changes has raised concerns among government officials and employees, with some expressing worry over the impact on public services and job security. Despite these tensions, the situation remains stalled, with neither side showing signs of compromise. The proposed legislation by Sen. Ernst could add pressure on Democrats to address the financial implications of the shutdown and to seek a resolution to the funding impasse.