Government Shutdown and Military Pay Debate
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) expressed opposition on Wednesday to advancing a separate bill intended to secure pay for military service members during the ongoing government shutdown, despite having indicated openness to the idea just a day prior.
If the shutdown persists and no action is taken to ensure military pay or reopen government functions, October 15th may mark the first instance in recent history where service members go without their paychecks during such an event. In past shutdowns, Congress had already allocated funding for the military or implemented measures to guarantee troop payments.
During a press conference on Wednesday, when asked about the possibility of moving forward with a bill to pay troops if the shutdown continues next week, he responded with hesitance.
“The reason we’re asking you to come back here and vote again is… we want some of this to be recorded, to show they’re paying the military,” Johnson stated.
He further commented on the previous vote, referring to a GOP proposal that aimed to fund the government until November 21.
However, Senate Democrats have blocked this initiative multiple times in their push to maintain Affordable Care Act subsidies, which are set to expire at year-end.
“They voted against funding for the troops. They didn’t want pay for TSA agents, air traffic controllers, or Border Patrol agents. They have to live with that decision. The House has done its part; now it’s up to the Senate,” Johnson said.
He added, “It’s unproductive for us to be engaged in a symbolic vote.”
Johnson’s remarks contrasted with what he had said in a joint press conference the day before, where, in response to a query about military and air traffic controller pay, he mentioned a more flexible approach. “We’re assessing it day by day. I’m certainly open to it. We’ve done this in the past. We want to ensure our troops receive their pay,” he stated then.
Furthermore, Johnson noted that Rep. Jen Quiggan (R-Va.) had previously proposed legislation aimed at ensuring military compensation during the shutdown, emphasizing the urgency of resolving the situation but highlighting the primary goal of restoring government functions first.
On the other hand, Senate Majority Leader John Thune (Rs.D.) suggested a different course of action. “The simplest solution is not to exempt certain groups but to reopen the government entirely, allowing all these negative impacts to fade away,” he remarked.
