Calls to revive Pay Our Military Act grow as possible missed pay day approaches

WASHINGTON (DC News Now) — Thousands of National Guard members stationed in Washington, D.C., could miss their Oct. 15 paychecks if Congress does not act soon to end the government shutdown or pass emergency legislation to protect military pay.

Active-duty troops, Defense Department workers, and contractors won’t be paid on time unless Congress passes a separate law like the one in 2013 that kept military pay going during a shutdown. Military members are paid on the first and 15th of the month.

More than 2,300 National Guard members are currently deployed to the District as part of ongoing security efforts. Nearly 1,000 of them are from the D.C. National Guard, while the rest come from eight other states, including West Virginia, Georgia and Ohio. Many have left civilian jobs to serve in this mission — jobs that are not legally required to continue paying them during their absence.

Julie Shepard, a retired Navy wife and military family advocate in Northern Virginia, said anxiety is exacerbated by confusion among military families. During the federal government shutdown in 2018, which lasted 35 days, most service members were paid thanks to the Pay Our Military Act, a bill passed in 2013 during a previous budget impasse. This time, however, no similar legislation has yet been approved.

Military families and advocacy groups are ramping up a nationwide campaign urging Congress to pass a version of the Pay Our Military Act to shield service members’ paychecks from shutdown fallout. But with the House not expected to return until just two days before the mid-month payday, families worry that time is running out.

“The best case would be the House Republicans come back,” Shepard said. “But I don’t believe they’re scheduled to be back until the 13th, which is past the deadline for our pay people to be able to turn this on.”

In the meantime, some financial institutions are offering help. USAA, along with credit unions Navy Federal and PenFed, are offering interest-free loans to service members affected by the shutdown.

“We’re advising our families to reach out to their banks, Navy Federal, USAA, etc., and apply for those interest-free loans,” Shepard said.