Posted on Sep 25, 2015
"DOD: No troop pay, civilians could be furloughed if government shuts down"
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From: Stars and Stripes
WASHINGTON – Troops will not get paychecks and Defense Department civilians could be furloughed if Congress fails to pass a new federal budget and the government shuts down Thursday, according to a DOD memo sent out to personnel.
The department was still holding out hope for a solution on Capitol Hill, according to the Friday memo from Deputy Defense Secretary Robert Work. However, if lawmakers do not act by midnight Wednesday, the fallout could be similar to the last government shutdown in 2013, which caused turmoil and temporarily forced about 350,000 Pentagon workers on leave without pay.
“During a government shutdown, all military personnel would continue in a normal duty status. However, they would not be paid until Congress provides funding,” Work wrote.
The DOD has updated its plans to determine which civilians will continue reporting to work and which will be furloughed, he wrote. The letter did not provide any additional details.
“As we saw in 2013, should a shutdown occur, and depending on the length of the shutdown, these determinations may change over time as circumstances evolve,” Work wrote.
The last time the government shut down for more than two weeks – over attempts to defund Obamacare -- about 800,000 federal workers were placed on furlough. But the DOD was able to bring its civilians back to work after about a week.
Troops and personnel were to be contacted by their chains of command with more details on the shutdown plans.
The clock was ticking on Capitol Hill on Friday with a glimmer of hope for a budget deal in the Senate early next week following a fight over defunding Planned Parenthood, but there was major political upheaval in the House with the announced resignation of Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio.
Senators rejected a temporary Republican budget Thursday that would have cut all support for the federally subsidized health care provider, in what was seen as an attempt to appease right-wing conservatives in the party.
Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., was set to introduce a new budget resolution Monday that could fund the government at current levels until December but does not include the controversial Planned Parenthood measure.
“There are two different roads that we can take. One is to insist that no more money go to Planned Parenthood and cause a government shutdown,” McConnell said after his first budget proposal failed Thursday. “The other is to take a slightly longer-term approach, taking advantage of the fact that we have the attention of the country as probably never before.”
However, the effort to defund Planned Parenthood using a federal budget bill may not be over in the House.
Boehner stunned Washington by announcing he will resign from Congress in October, a move that was seen as a victory for conservative Republicans who want to a more hardline strategy on Planned Parenthood and other issues.
“It was my plan to only serve as Speaker until the end of last year, but I stayed on to provide continuity to the Republican Conference and the House,” he said in a written statement. “It is my view, however, that prolonged leadership turmoil would do irreparable damage to the institution. To that end, I will resign the Speakership and my seat in Congress on Oct. 30.”
Boehner’s ouster showed the power of his far-right foes in the party, who may insist on defunding the health care organization and hold up any budget in the meantime.
http://www.stripes.com/dod-no-troop-pay-civilians-could-be-furloughed-if-government-shuts-down-1.370194
WASHINGTON – Troops will not get paychecks and Defense Department civilians could be furloughed if Congress fails to pass a new federal budget and the government shuts down Thursday, according to a DOD memo sent out to personnel.
The department was still holding out hope for a solution on Capitol Hill, according to the Friday memo from Deputy Defense Secretary Robert Work. However, if lawmakers do not act by midnight Wednesday, the fallout could be similar to the last government shutdown in 2013, which caused turmoil and temporarily forced about 350,000 Pentagon workers on leave without pay.
“During a government shutdown, all military personnel would continue in a normal duty status. However, they would not be paid until Congress provides funding,” Work wrote.
The DOD has updated its plans to determine which civilians will continue reporting to work and which will be furloughed, he wrote. The letter did not provide any additional details.
“As we saw in 2013, should a shutdown occur, and depending on the length of the shutdown, these determinations may change over time as circumstances evolve,” Work wrote.
The last time the government shut down for more than two weeks – over attempts to defund Obamacare -- about 800,000 federal workers were placed on furlough. But the DOD was able to bring its civilians back to work after about a week.
Troops and personnel were to be contacted by their chains of command with more details on the shutdown plans.
The clock was ticking on Capitol Hill on Friday with a glimmer of hope for a budget deal in the Senate early next week following a fight over defunding Planned Parenthood, but there was major political upheaval in the House with the announced resignation of Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio.
Senators rejected a temporary Republican budget Thursday that would have cut all support for the federally subsidized health care provider, in what was seen as an attempt to appease right-wing conservatives in the party.
Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., was set to introduce a new budget resolution Monday that could fund the government at current levels until December but does not include the controversial Planned Parenthood measure.
“There are two different roads that we can take. One is to insist that no more money go to Planned Parenthood and cause a government shutdown,” McConnell said after his first budget proposal failed Thursday. “The other is to take a slightly longer-term approach, taking advantage of the fact that we have the attention of the country as probably never before.”
However, the effort to defund Planned Parenthood using a federal budget bill may not be over in the House.
Boehner stunned Washington by announcing he will resign from Congress in October, a move that was seen as a victory for conservative Republicans who want to a more hardline strategy on Planned Parenthood and other issues.
“It was my plan to only serve as Speaker until the end of last year, but I stayed on to provide continuity to the Republican Conference and the House,” he said in a written statement. “It is my view, however, that prolonged leadership turmoil would do irreparable damage to the institution. To that end, I will resign the Speakership and my seat in Congress on Oct. 30.”
Boehner’s ouster showed the power of his far-right foes in the party, who may insist on defunding the health care organization and hold up any budget in the meantime.
http://www.stripes.com/dod-no-troop-pay-civilians-could-be-furloughed-if-government-shuts-down-1.370194
Government
DoD
Troops
Government Shutdown
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 62
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Always an idle threat, and never lasts long even when enacted... at least to date. We'll see what happens, but I am doubtful of cause for concern.
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Suspended Profile
As it says in Ecclesiastes: "There is nothing new under the sun."
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Get used to being a bit of backdrop for the inability of our Representatives to do their jobs. The price of working in the Executive branch.
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I think we have a couple threads going on this one already. While there are technicians and AGR folks that stress over this kind of threats...it is political maneuvering. I am deployed. Do I worry bonus doesn't get paid, sure. Do I take a cut in pay during a deployment? You bet. At the end of the day, the Army always recoups a debt you and always pays you what you are due. Making the military fearful of when the bills will get paid...is a nasty tactic.
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CPT (Join to see)
At the end of the day, we all know we're going to get paid...at some point. It just seems somewhat ridiculous and unfair that we have to go thru this. One would think that with all the advisors, committees, and money that is spent on government officials they would be able to figure out a better way to spend and create a budget for the nation. And then as final argument, why is our pay always in threat? Why can't we cut from other offices, like the pay and benefits from Congress?
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LTC (Join to see)
If Congress agreed to work without pay until a palatable budget was passed, how many RallyPointers would do the same???
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CPT (Join to see)
Why does Congress have to agree? We have, and would work without pay if it needs to be done. Can't comment for everyone, but I think that if Congress is working without pay service members would receive it in a more liking manner instead of them still getting paid while they can't figure out how to spend the money for the rest of the government.
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PO1 John Miller
Cpl (Join to see) - There was actually a shutdown while Clinton was in office if memory serves me correctly.
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No shut downs from 1997 to 2012. We need a leader that will work with Congress. A Congress that has a backbone and Transparency from both. In 2013 Obama closed the WWII war memorial... What will he close this time? Fire them all and start over with 50% Veteran required.. We all have opinions but none of us know all the facts, thanks for the Transparency...
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Last time troops still got paid, its just another one of their empty threats. However the DOD civilians didn't receive pay during the government's pissing contest, so they just stopped going to work till everything was back to normal.
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