Senate Considers Bill to Guarantee Military Pay During Future Shutdowns
At NMFA, we’re keeping military families informed as Congress considers new legislation that could directly affect your household finances.
This week, the Senate is preparing to vote on the Shutdown Fairness Act, introduced by Senator Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) and placed on the Senate calendar by Senator John Thune (R-S.D.). The bill is designed to ensure that service members and other “excepted” federal employees continue to receive their regular pay during a government shutdown.
What’s different about this bill? Unlike the Pay Our Troops Act, which applied only to the current shutdown, the Shutdown Fairness Act would create a permanent fix. It would automatically provide pay and benefits for active-duty military, essential civilian workers, and certain federal contractors any time the government lapses in funding, without requiring new emergency legislation each time.
While this measure would ensure that military pay continues during a shutdown, it does not resolve other challenges families face such as delayed reimbursements, benefit interruptions, or paused programs that support everyday life.
NMFA will continue monitoring this legislation and advocating for comprehensive, lasting solutions that protect every aspect of military family well-being during funding lapses.
By: Olivia Brinsfield, Content Manager
