Policy Week in Review – November 14, 2025

Record 43-Day Shutdown Ends; Federal Government Reopens 

As a quick recap, the House passed the original Continuing Resolution (CR) in September to fund the federal government through November 21; the CR then went to the Senate for consideration. Senate Democrats blocked the CR because it did not extend the expiring Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies they wanted included in the bill. Therefore, the shutdown began on October 1. On November 10, however, the Senate passed in a 60-40 vote a comprise measure amending the House-passed bill, which provides three full-year funding bills (Military Construction/Veterans Affairs, Agriculture/FDA, and Legislative Branch) and funds the rest of the federal government until January 30, 2026. Eight Senate Democrats voted with Senate Republicans to advance the measure after receiving an agreement to have a future vote on the ACA subsidies. Senators agreed to vote before the end of the year; a House vote is not guaranteed, however. The eight Senate Democrats are: Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), John Fetterman (D-PA), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), and Angus King (I-ME). The House came back in session and approved the measure by a 222-209 vote on November 12. President Trump signed it later that night, reopening the federal government. According to the legislative calendar, Congress has only four full weeks left in session this year unless Senate and House leadership make changes to the schedule, but it’s unlikely given the upcoming holidays. To avoid another shutdown, Congress now faces the January 30 deadline to pass the nine remaining funding bills. 

Senate HELP Committee Republicans Introduce Labor Reform Package

Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee Chair Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and Republican Committee members, including Senators Tim Scott (R-SC), Jim Banks (R-IN), and Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), introduced a package of labor reform bills on Monday aimed at modernizing federal labor law. The introduction of this legislation follows two thoughtful labor reform hearings the Committee held earlier this year. The package includes: Worker Reforming Elections for Speedy and Unimpeded Labor Talks (RESULTS) Act, which would require a secret ballot election and a quorum of at least two-thirds of the bargaining unit to participate in the union election, among other provisions; NLRB Stability Act, which would require the NLRB to decide worker claims based on federal court precedent, creating stability in NLRB decisions; Fairness in Filing Act, which would restrict charges of unfair labor practices that are not filed in good faith or are frivolous; Union Members Right to Know Act, which would require labor organizations to provide their members with a summary of their rights to object to their dues’ subsidizing union political spending; Protection on the Picket Line Act, which would protect employees from harassment and abuse in the workplace; and the Worker Privacy Act, which would protect workers’ personal data during organizing drives. An additional bill titled, “Put American Workers First Act,” would make it an unfair labor practice to unionize or hire undocumented immigrants.  

In a corresponding media statement, Chair Cassidy stated, “Congress has not updated labor laws for nearly 100 years, yet the economy and the way we work have changed. We have a responsibility to bring stability to businesses, unions, and workers to make our nation competitive in a 21st-century economy. . . . As Chairman of the HELP Committee, I’m committed to finding a path forward and building consensus between businesses, unions, and workers. These bills are an important step as we work together to deliver President Trump’s pro-worker agenda and empower the middle class to achieve the American Dream.”

NLRB Nominee Scott Mayer Scheduled for Committee Vote 

On Wednesday, November 19, the Senate HELP Committee will vote on White House nominee Scott Mayer to be a member of the National Labor Relations Board. If approved out of committee, Mayer will join the other pending NLRB nominees - James Murphy to serve as a board member and Crystal Carey to serve as the general counsel – for a final floor confirmation vote. If Mayer and Murphy are confirmed, the NLRB will have a quorum, allowing the board to start deciding cases and engage in rulemaking. 

IRS Will Not Impose Penalties Based on Reporting of “No Tax on Tips” and “No Tax on Overtime” for 2025

ICYMI, in a welcome development for employers that were struggling to determine how to comply with the reporting requirements of the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” relating to “no tax on tips” and “no tax on overtime,” the IRS announced recently that employers will not face penalties for failing to comply with the Act’s reporting requirements for tax year 2025. For further analysis, read here.