Congressman Derrick Van Orden | Official U.S. House headshot
Congressman Derrick Van Orden | Official U.S. House headshot
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Rep. Derrick Van Orden (WI-03) joined forces with Rep. Jen Kiggans (VA-02) to cosponsor the Pay Our Troops Act, a bipartisan bill aimed at safeguarding the pay of military members and certain U.S. Department of Defense civilian employees and contractors in the event of a government shutdown.
"I will not allow DC’s dysfunction to undermine our national security and hurt military families," expressed Van Orden. "As a retired U.S. Navy SEAL, I relied on food assistance to feed my children while I was deployed in combat zones. Many military men and women are already struggling to make ends meet, and taking away their paychecks as they put their lives on the line to defend America is unacceptable."
Currently, if the government shuts down without passing a Department of Defense Appropriations Bill into law, members of the Armed Forces will not receive their pay. Only those classified as "essential" would receive backpay once the shutdown concludes and new federal funding is approved. Furthermore, nearly 200,000 civilian defense employees would be required to work without pay during a government shutdown.
To review the Pay Our Troops Act, click here.
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