WASHINGTON, DC: Today, Congresswoman Jen Kiggans (VA-02) reintroduced the Pay Our Troops Act, legislation to ensure members of the military are paid in the event of a government shutdown. The bill will protect members of the military, including the Coast Guard, as well as certain U.S. Department of Defense civilian employees and contractors should Congress fail to provide temporary or full-year federal funding by September 30, 2024.
Currently, if the government shuts down without a funding bill for the Department of Defense signed into law, those serving in our Armed Forces will not receive their paychecks. Only those deemed “essential” would receive back pay once a shutdown ends and new federal funding is approved. Virginia’s Second Congressional District is home to the largest active-duty military population in the U.S., hosting our Navy’s East Coast Master Jet Base as well as Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story. Congresswoman Kiggans is a former Navy helicopter pilot who has a long history of military service in her family.
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