{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://pappas.house.gov/media/press-releases/pappas-goodlander-kiggans-introduce-bipartisan-legislation-to-protect-shipyard-workers-during-government-shutdowns", "Pappas, Goodlander, Kiggans Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Protect Shipyard Workers During Government Shutdowns", "2025-10-03", "2025", "2025-10", "Democrat", "House", "NH", "Chris Pappas", "P000614", "pappas.house.gov", "pappas", "https://pappas.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Today Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01), co-chair of the Public Shipyard Caucus and representative for the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Congresswoman Maggie Goodlander (NH-02), a member of the House Armed Services Committee who served for more than a decade in the United States Navy Reserve, and Congresswoman Jen Kiggans (VA-02) introduced the Pay Our Public Shipyard Workers Act. This bipartisan legislation will ensure the workforce of our nation\u2019s public shipyards is paid during government shutdowns. Congresswoman Jill Tokuda (D-HI) and Congresswoman Emily Randall (D-WA), members who represent public shipyard workers, are cosponsors of this legislation.\n\nRead the full bill texthere.\n\n\u201cThe men and women of Portsmouth Naval Shipyard and all our public shipyards are critical to our national defense. They work every day with skill and patriotism to support our military, and their ability to make ends meet shouldn\u2019t hang in the balance due to political dysfunction in Washington,\u201d said Congressman Pappas. \u201cWe\u2019re introducing this bipartisan legislation to ensure shipyard workers are always paid on time for their work during a government shutdown.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe women and men of America\u2019s public shipyards are mission-critical for our national security. These hardworking patriots have some of the toughest and most important jobs. They should never go a day without a paycheck they have earned,\u201d said Congresswoman Goodlander. \u201cThat\u2019s why we are working to make our bipartisan bill that ensures our public shipyard workforce gets paid the law of the land.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe introduction of the Pay Our Public Shipyard Workers Act by Congresswoman Maggie Goodlander and Congressman Chris Pappas is a critical step toward protecting the men and women of Portsmouth Naval Shipyard and our nation\u2019s other public shipyards. Every day, thousands of dedicated patriots keep lacing up their boots and coming to work to keep our submarine fleet mission-ready. That work does not stop during a shutdown, and neither should the paychecks that families depend on,\u201d said Alana Schaeffer, President at Portsmouth Federal Employees Metal Trades Council. \u201cFor too long, shipyard workers have been forced to carry the burden of political stalemates in Washington \u2013 reporting for duty without pay, or being furloughed, both without access to their earned leave or the guarantee of a paycheck until a budget is passed and their back pay approved. This legislation acknowledges what we have always known: the work of our shipyard community is essential to both our local economy and our national security. I applaud Congresswoman Goodlander and Congressman Pappas for listening to the workforce, standing with us, and putting forward a commonsense solution that ensures stability for working families. I urge members of Congress from both parties to join them in supporting this vital legislation.\u201d\n\nCongressman Pappas is a founding member and co-chair of the bipartisan Public Shipyard Caucus and representative for the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. He leads the bipartisan Protecting Public Naval Shipyards Act, which would exempt the workforces of America\u2019s four public shipyards, which are responsible for repairing and retrofitting the U.S. Navy's aircraft carriers and submarines, from recent hiring freezes and mass layoffs.\n\nBackground:\n\nThere are four public shipyards in the United States \u2013 Portsmouth Naval Shipyard (PNSY), Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY), Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility (PSNS&IMF), and Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility (PHNSY&IMF) \u2013 that are critical to our warfighting ability and national security.\n\nDuring a government shutdown, many of the civilian and military workforce at our shipyards are furloughed or asked to work without pay \u2013 including their base pay, basic housing allowance, or basic allowance for subsistence. These women and men are essential to our national security, and many already live paycheck to paycheck.\n\nDuring this government shutdown, all projects at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard are continuing as scheduled. 280 employees at the shipyard were furloughed, while the rest of the 6,400-person workforce is deemed essential and is being asked to work without pay.\n\nThis legislation would ensure that a lapse in government funding would not impact their ability to be paid or complete their essential mission.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:32:54Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://pappas.house.gov/media/press-releases/pappas-goodlander-kiggans-introduce-bipartisan-legislation-to-protect-shipyard-workers-during-government-shutdowns"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.4613620005548, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}