PHOENIX — ABC15 and Scripps News were the first to learn Friday that Sen. Mark Kelly introduced the Federal Worker Credit Protection Act of 2026, a bill aimed at shielding federal employees from credit damage during government shutdowns.
Kelly co-sponsored the legislation with Sen. Ruben Gallego, the other Democratic senator from Arizona. The bill came after Kelly met with TSA workers at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport during the recent government shutdown, when agents went without pay for an extended period.
The bill would prohibit consumer credit reporting agencies from reporting adverse information on federal workers during a government shutdown and for 30 days after. It would also allow federal workers to correct adverse information already on their credit reports due to a shutdown.
Kelly said in a statement: "Federal workers shouldn't be punished even more because of a government shutdown that isn't their fault."
Many federal employees were forced to take out loans, missed payments, and had to call out of work to care for children or family members while going without pay. The bill would provide a grace period with credit reporting agencies for workers unable to pay bills when they are not receiving income.
The shutdown contributed to long lines at TSA checkpoints across the country, including at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport. Lawmakers ultimately funded 90% of the Department of Homeland Security yesterday, with President Trump signing that bill. Funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection remains unresolved.
The future of the Federal Worker Credit Protection Act of 2026 is unclear. It has not been scheduled for a vote, though similar efforts have seen positive movement in the past.
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