Pay Our Military Act of 2025
Pay Our Military Act of 2025
Plain Language Summary
# Pay Our Military Act of 2025 - Plain Language Summary **What the Bill Does:** This bill ensures that active-duty military members and certain Defense Department civilians continue receiving their paychecks during a government shutdown. It would provide funding for military salaries, allowances, and specific benefits—such as housing stipends, food allowances, clothing, and relocation costs—if Congress fails to pass a full budget for fiscal year 2026. The bill also covers benefits for surviving family members of military personnel and includes payments to Defense Department contractors supporting military operations. **Who It Affects:** The bill directly affects active-duty service members across all branches of the military (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Space Force, and Coast Guard), as well as reserve components.
It also covers Department of Defense civilian employees and Coast Guard personnel who support military operations, plus military contractors and surviving spouses receiving benefits. **Current Status:** The bill was introduced by Senator Dan Sullivan (R-AK) in the 119th Congress and is currently in the early stages—it has been introduced but has not yet been voted on or passed. This type of legislation is typically considered during budget negotiations when there is a risk of government shutdown.
CRS Official Summary
Pay Our Military Act of 2025This bill provides continuing appropriations for military pay for any period during which continuing or full-year appropriations for FY2026 are not in effect (i.e., a government shutdown).Specifically, the bill provides FY2026 continuing appropriations for pay, allowances, and certain benefits for members of the Armed Forces, including reserve components, who perform active service during the period. The benefits funded by the bill include individual clothing, subsistence, interest on deposits, gratuities, permanent change of station travel, and monthly payments to surviving spouses who care for a child of a member or former member of the Armed Forces.The bill also provides FY2026 continuing appropriations forpay and allowances for Department of Defense (DOD) civilian personnel (and Department of Homeland Security [DHS] personnel in the case of the Coast Guard) who are providing support to such members of the Armed Forces, andpayments for DOD contractors (and DHS contractors in the case of the Coast Guard) who are providing support to the members of the Armed Forces.A federal agency may not use funds provided by this bill during any period in which continuing appropriations are available for the same payments, allowances, and benefits that are funded by this bill. If a government shutdown occurs, the bill provides the continuing appropriations until the earlier of (1) the enactment into law of specified appropriations legislation, or (2) September 30, 2026.
Latest Action
Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 204.