{"id":31559,"date":"2025-03-07T14:51:48","date_gmt":"2025-03-07T14:51:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/staging.sightlinemg.com\/federaltimes\/uncategorized\/2025\/03\/07\/congress-readies-troop-pay-protections-as-federal-shutdown-looms-again\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T16:09:23","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T16:09:23","slug":"congress-readies-troop-pay-protections-as-federal-shutdown-looms-again","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/staging.sightlinemg.com\/federaltimes\/congress\/2025\/03\/07\/congress-readies-troop-pay-protections-as-federal-shutdown-looms-again\/","title":{"rendered":"Congress readies troop pay protections as federal shutdown looms again"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In a sign of another concerning congressional funding fight<\/a>, House lawmakers are again considering legislation which would protect military pay<\/a> in the event of a government shutdown later this month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The measure, introduced this week by Navy veteran Rep. Jen Kiggans, R-Va., <\/a>would ensure paychecks continue for members of the military, including the Coast Guard, as well as some Defense Department civilian employees and contractors in the event of a funding lapse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDysfunction in Washington should never force our service members to go without a paycheck,\u201d Kiggans said in a statement. \u201cIt is our responsibility to ensure they can provide for their families and put food on their tables.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The legislation has not advanced in the House beyond its initial introduction, but it would provide a quick vehicle for emergency action if lawmakers can\u2019t reach a federal funding deal in the next few days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Government funding is set to expire on March 14 unless both chambers approve either a full-year spending plan for federal operations or a short-term budget extension.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The latter is more likely, given that congressional Republicans \u2014 who control both chambers \u2014 still have not settled on their budget plans for fiscal 2025, which began last October.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

House Republicans are expected to attempt to pass a six-month funding extension next week, which would lock in last year\u2019s spending levels and essentially skip the entire fiscal 2025 process. Democrats in the Senate, who could block such a plan, have not signaled whether they will support that idea.<\/p>\n\n\n\t