In the face of the very real possibility of a government shutdown, three of Colorado’s Republican congressmen are pushing legislation to ensure that military servicemen and women continue to receive their paychecks.
Reps. Doug Lamborn, CD-5; Cory Gardner, CD-3; and Mike Coffman, CD-6 are three of 79 Republican congressmen who signed a letter to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada, urging him to support a bill that would extend the federal budget through Sept. 30, keeping the government open. That way, military paychecks wouldn’t be put on hold. The House has already passed the bill, H.R. 1.
The letter and the legislation came as a response to a memo from the Department of Defense, which stated that if the federal government did shut down, then paychecks to soldiers and military staffers would be suspended.
“We have put tens of thousands of brave Americans in harm’s way to fight for freedom around the globe. In light of their sacrifice on our behalf it would be a complete abdication of your duties if the Senate refused to pass a spending bill and allowed our troops and their families to not be compensated for their services,” the letter reads.
“We call for your assurances to secure national defense funding, and in particular the salaries of our servicemen and women, regardless of the outcome of our ongoing debate on overall domestic spending.”
“Pulling these brave men and women into a policy debate, for political purposes, lack of foresight, or by mistake is wrong. Our nation’s war fighters, nor their spouses, should have to worry whether or not they, or their families, will get paid next week, next month, or next year.”
If the government does shut down, all federal employees—including troops—would eventually be paid retroactively, but their paychecks would be delayed until the government restarts. Lamborn said that’s unacceptable.
“The last thing (troops) need is to worry about whether money is getting to their families back home, that bills are being paid and food is being put on the table,” said Lamborn.
Lamborn is also co-sponsoring H.R. 1297, which would specifically provide funding for only military paychecks, instead of for the entire federal government, as H.R. 1 does. The bill has been dubbed the Ensuring Pay For Our Military Act. Lamborn said it would apply only to servicemen and women on active duty and in reserve, and not “non-essential” staffers, such as Pentagon workers.
That bill has only a slim chance of passing, Lamborn admitted. He’s pinning his hopes on a budget bill that will be voted on in the House on Thursday, that would delay the government shutdown by another week. But the bill will also include $12 billion in budget cuts, said Lamborn, so that’s also a gamble.
“I hope they don’t have a rejectionist attitude and shut the government down,” said Lamborn, referring to Senate Democrats.
Hey! Media Morons….Department of Defense is EXEMPT from the gub-mint shutdown and spending.
Hey! Chuckles – You are only partially right … I know, amazing huh?? DoD military folks are exempt from being shut down if the government shuts down after midnight Friday. But their pay earned after that point will be withheld until government funding is restored. In other words, they cannot fail to show for duty after currently appropriated funding expires but they will not be paid for that work until that appropriation is restored. They will be paid retroactively at that time but that doesn’t put food on the table or make mortgage payments in the mean time.
Hey Chuckles, you may want to check your facts….
If they gov’t shuts down, so should they. These Representatives are trying to get away from their responsibilities and want to save face with the military.
Right Chuck… might want to check out your facts… exempt is such a poor choice of words.
Third paragraph: “The letter and the legislation came as a response to a memo from the Department of Defense, which stated that if the federal government did shut down, then paychecks to soldiers and military staffers would be suspended.”
Correct: But just because they say it doesn’t mean it’s gonna happen. I don’t care what the White House announces, either. The bottom line is that is scare-mongering from a bunch of politicians who have their own best interests at heart. Including Obama. Mark my words…about Thursday night, into Friday morning, there will be a miraculous “breakthrough”: the champagne will be popping, and the glasses raised high for the accomplishment of a bunch of self-serving hipocrits….
Hey Chuckles…NO IT”S NOT. All fear mongering tactics aside. If the govt. shuts down, paychecks shut down. And as an added bonus, essential personnel continue to work, without that check.
Having to go to work and getting paid are two entirely different things. Military had to go to work during the last shutdown in the 90′s.
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