This article was last updated November 13, 2026, and we will update it as decisions land. If you're wondering whether Congress can override the pay freeze, the short answer is yes. Congress can set a different raise in law. But no deal exists yet, and nothing is promised. Let's break down how an override works, what the December 11 date means, and what it could do to your paycheck. You can also follow live changes on our 2027 pay raise tracker.
What Is Final and What Is Not
Here's what is settled:
- On August 26, 2026, the President's alternative pay plan letter proposed 0% across the board and 0% locality for General Schedule (GS) employees in January 2027. Base and locality rates would stay at 2026 levels.
- Without that letter, the pay formula in the law (called FEPCA) would have produced about 3.1% across the board.
- A freeze does not stop within-grade step increases, promotions, or quality step increases.
Here's what is not settled:
- Nothing is final until the President signs the pay executive order. That usually happens in mid-to-late December.
- No bill with a 2027 raise has passed either chamber as of November 13, 2026.
- New rates start with the first pay period beginning on or after January 1, 2027. That is January 10, 2027 for most employees.
For the full background, read our main article, 2027 Federal Pay Raise: The Proposed Pay Freeze and What Happens Next.
Can Congress Override the Pay Freeze? How It Works
Here's the thing: the President's plan is a proposal. Congress writes the laws. If Congress passes a different raise, that law is what counts.
Usually, lawmakers do this with a "rider." That's a provision tucked into an appropriations (government funding) bill. If the law passes after January, the raise can apply back to the start of the year.
History gives us two useful examples:
- 2011-2013: Federal employees went three years with no across-the-board raise.
- 2019: A freeze was proposed. Congress then enacted a 1.9% raise in February 2019, in the law that ended the 35-day partial shutdown. It applied back to January.
So an override has happened before. It's not a sure thing, and I'm not predicting what happens this time.
The easiest way to get your exact numbers for any of these outcomes is the free federal pay raise calculator. We'll use it again below.
The December 11 Funding Deadline for Federal Employees
The current stopgap funding law, called a continuing resolution (CR), expires December 11, 2026. That date matters for two reasons.
First, it's the next chance to add a raise. A new funding law could be another CR or full-year spending bills. Either one is a possible vehicle for a pay provision.
Second, a lapse could begin December 12. If no funding law passes, parts of the government could shut down.
If that happens, you would be paid retroactively after the lapse ends. That is thanks to the 2019 Government Employee Fair Treatment Act. (Note: Although the 2019 law provides back pay; how it applies was disputed in 2025, so check OPM's guidance For official details). See OPM's shutdown guidance. We also explain how federal back pay works after a shutdown and what happens to your benefits during a shutdown.
2027 Pay Raise Congress Push: Walkinshaw and the FAIR Act 2027
On November 6, 2026, Rep. James Walkinshaw (D-Va.) said he will push to include a 2027 raise in the year-end funding legislation. Government Executive covered his comments.
His starting point is the 4.1% average raise in his Federal Adjustment of Income Rates (FAIR) Act, introduced earlier in 2026. He also showed some give. He said, "if we can get 3%, that would be a huge improvement over 0%." And if it isn't settled now, "we'll fight it out in 2027 when any additional CR then expires."
Federal unions are also pushing for an override after the 2026 midterm elections.
Let's be plain about this. It's a push, not a deal. The FAIR Act 2027 push has not passed either chamber.
Four Ways a Federal Pay Raise Could Play Out With a Continuing Resolution
Here are the possible outcomes in simple terms:
- The freeze holds. No raise is added, and the pay executive order in December keeps rates at 2026 levels.
- A December funding law includes a raise. The new rate would then replace the freeze.
- A raise passes later in 2027. It would be paid retroactively, as in 2019.
- A short CR pushes the fight into 2027. The decision waits for the next deadline.
Outcomes 3 and 4 mean you could start January at 2026 rates and get back pay later. Plan for that possibility, but don't count on it.
Practical Examples: What the Numbers Look Like
Let's use an example salary of $75,000. A federal year has 26 pay periods. These amounts are before taxes.
| Raise |
Extra per year |
New salary |
Extra per paycheck |
| 0% |
$0 |
$75,000 |
$0 |
| 3% |
$2,250 |
$77,250 |
$86.54 |
| 4.1% |
$3,075 |
$78,075 |
$118.27 |
The 4.1% figure is an average, so your own result could differ.
Example: back pay. Say a 3% raise became law later and applied back to January 10, 2027. For that $75,000 example salary, each pay period you were paid at the old rate would be short by $86.54. If six pay periods went by first, the catch-up would be about $519.24 (an example only).
Example: a GS-12. For a GS-12 earning $90,000 (an example salary), a 3% raise would be $2,700 a year, or about $103.85 per paycheck. Under a freeze, that $90,000 stays flat. But if your step increase is due, it still happens on its normal schedule. Learn more in our guide to GS step increases.
Military pay follows a different process. See where the NDAA stands on the 2027 military pay raise.
What This Means for Wage Grade (FWS) Employees
If you're paid under the Federal Wage System (WG, WL, or WS), your raise works differently. Your annual raise is tied to the GS raise by a cap and a floor. Those limits are set in each year's appropriations act. Your raise also takes effect on your own wage area's date, not January 10 for everyone.
So if Congress changes the GS raise, the wording of the appropriations act matters for your pay. See our guides on what the proposed GS freeze means for wage grade employees and the Federal Wage System basics.
Common Mistakes and Misconceptions
- "The freeze is final." It isn't final until the executive order is signed. A proposal is not a law.
- "A freeze means my pay can't go up." Steps, promotions, and quality step increases still count. Our GS promotion pay rules explain how a grade change affects your salary.
- "Walkinshaw's 4.1% is coming." It's a starting point in a bill, not a promise.
- "A shutdown means I lose pay." After a lapse, you are paid retroactively under the 2019 law. You may still face a cash-flow squeeze while it lasts.
- "Any raise would be the same for everyone." An average is not your number. Your locality and grade matter.
Step-by-Step: What to Do Now
- Bookmark the 2027 pay raise tracker. We update it as decisions land.
- Find your grade, step, and locality on your latest pay statement. Our guide to reading your GS salary can help.
- Run the numbers. Use the federal pay raise calculator to see 0%, 3%, and 4.1% for your own pay. It's free and saves you the math.
- Check the official pay tables. The OPM pay tables show current rates.
- Watch December 11. Follow GovExec, FedWeek, and Federal Times.
- Budget for 0%. Treat any raise as a bonus until it's law.
- Know your shutdown plan. Review the links above in case a lapse begins December 12.
Bottom Line
Congress can override the pay freeze, and it has before. But as of November 13, 2026, no bill with a 2027 raise has passed either chamber. The December 11 deadline is the next real chance, and the fight could also move into 2027. Until the President signs the pay executive order, nothing is final.
For now, budget for 0%, and know what a 3% or 4.1% raise would mean for you. Try the calculator to see your personal results, and check the 2027 pay raise tracker for the latest. For more, visit our pay info page.