Rep. Gerald Connolly, D-VA, sponsored the legislation, HR 4786. He said the furloughed workers had become "victims of an arcane practice in the [Senate] that allows one member's objection, irrespective of merit, to grind to a halt the work of the American people."

Connolly referred to Sen. Jim Bunning, R-KY, who for days blocked the Senate from passing a four-week extension of the Highway Trust Fund's expenditure authority. When that authority lapsed early March 1, the U.S. Department of Transportation furloughed 1,922 workers from the Federal Highway Administration (1,307), Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (434), National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (143), and Research and Innovative Technology Administration (38) whose salaries are paid from the trust fund.

The furloughs lasted March 1 and 2. Senators were able to pass the four-week extension the evening of March 2 and President Barack Obama signed it into law that same night, allowing furloughed U.S. DOT employees to return to work March 3.

Those workers will not be paid for March 1 and 2 unless Congress takes action, however. Proponents of HR 4786, which passed the House by voice vote, said affected U.S. DOT employees will see a 20 percent reduction in their March 19 paycheck if this bill is not enacted. U.S. DOT will process its payroll for the Feb. 28 to March 13 pay period on Tuesday, March 16, so Congress must act by then to prevent the salary reductions from taking effect.

"We owe it to these workers to make them whole, and not visit unnecessary hardship on them and their families because of a political squabble on Capitol Hill," said House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman James Oberstar, D-MN. "For someone living paycheck to paycheck, or with an unemployed spouse, this sudden reduction in pay might mean a missed mortgage payment, car payment, or tuition payment."

The Senate has yet to take up the bill. It would likely have to be passed by unanimous consent to reach the White House for signature by March 16.