The government shutdown is stretching into its fourth week, leading to uncertainty across the country. Surprisingly, the shutdown has put the next military paycheck officially in jeopardy. Officials have confirmed that military personnel who have been working during the shutdown could fail to receive their pay scheduled for October unless Congress reaches a funding agreement or new emergency measures are taken.
Mid-Month Pay Secured, but the End of the Month Is Different
The Defense Department paid military members on October 15, after President Trump’s directive to ensure mid-month paychecks are paid using the remaining Pentagon funds. The directive authorized the department to draw from available money, which is money meant for expenditure. Since military personnel are paid twice: mid-month and at the end of the month, it is unclear if the department will have the authority to use the same Pentagon funds to pay end-of-month checks.
According to Todd Harrison, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, the President’s directive saw the department use $8 billion from the Pentagon’s research, development, test, and evaluation (RDT&E) account to cover the October 15 payroll worth approximately $6.5 billion. This means that the department was left with $1.5 billion, which falls short of the estimated $6-7 billion that is required to cover the October 31 payday.
The Shutdown Fairness Act Fails in the Senate
To address the looming crisis, a bill known as the Shutdown Fairness Act was sponsored by Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.).If passed, the bill would guarantee pay for military personnel and other essential federal employees who were on duty during the shutdown.
This bill needed the support of Democrats to reach the 60 votes required to advance. Unfortunately, it fell short with a tally of 54 to 45. Only three Democrats, John Fetterman (Pa.), Jon Ossoff (Ga.), and Raphael Warnock (Ga.), sided with Republicans to support it.
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer blasted the bill, arguing that it would give the White House budget director too much discretion over which federal departments to open.
“It’s nothing more than another tool for Trump to hurt federal workers and American families and to keep this shutdown going for as long as he wants,” Schumer said. “We will not give Donald Trump a license to play politics with people’s livelihoods. That’s why we oppose this.”
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) also termed the bill a political ploy to pick and choose, giving Donald Trump discretion over which employees should be compensated.
Republicans did not shy away from accusing the Democrats of misunderstanding the bill. Johnson argued that the federal law already determines which employees are considered essential during a shutdown. Therefore, his proposal was simply aiming to ensure that they are paid for their work.
Back Pay Is Guaranteed, but Delays Remain a Threat
While the October 31 paycheck remains in jeopardy, military personnel are guaranteed back pay once the shutdown comes to an end. Under the Government Employee Fair Treatment Act of 2019, all federal workers, including military personnel, will receive retroactive pay for all the hours they worked without pay.
However, that offers little reassurance to the more than 1.3 million personnel who depend on their paychecks to afford essentials like housing, groceries, and to care for their families. With the shutdown now reaching its 24th day, even a slight or brief interruption could cause serious financial stress for military personnel and their families, both in the U.S. and overseas.
Uncertain Days Ahead for U.S. Troops
The Senate adjourned late on Thursday without approving any new funding measures, meaning that the shutdown will continue into next week. Military personnel are at risk of missing their October 31 checks if Congress fails to take action or if the White House fails to order another emergency funding.
It is reported that the administration is exploring additional options to shift Pentagon funds. However, sources are warning that most available accounts are already committed to ongoing operations. Therefore, the administration will have to figure out where to obtain additional funds to pay the forces.