House Republicans take action to safeguard military salaries amid shutdown concerns.

House Republicans are taking steps to safeguard the wages of American soldiers during a potential government shutdown.

On Thursday, Rep. Jen Kiggans, R-Va., will reintroduce her Pay Our Troops Act, with the backing of at least 20 House lawmakers, including 16 Republicans and four Democrats.

The day after more than a dozen House GOP lawmakers helped defeat Speaker Mike Johnson's plan to avert a partial government shutdown by extending the current fiscal year's funding levels through March, known as a continuing resolution (CR), the plan was defeated.

To prevent a shutdown weeks before Election Day, the Republican-controlled House and the Democratic-held Senate must reach an agreement on federal funding by Sept. 30.

Kiggans, a veteran, emphasized to Planet Chronicle Digital the importance of sending a message to military personnel that they will receive a paycheck despite the uncertainty and talk about government funding.

In late September 2023, her bill, which had 118 co-sponsors, was introduced as Congress was heading towards a partial government shutdown with no agreement in sight until the last minute.

The SAVE Act, which requires proof of citizenship for voter registration, was included in Johnson's bill but was deemed a nonstarter by Democratic leaders.

While 14 Republicans opposed the plan on principle, three Democrats voted for it.

Despite his pledge, Johnson, R-La., has consistently vowed not to let the government shut down.

The possibility of federal programs stalling and thousands of workers being furloughed has made Republicans anxious, as evidenced by Kiggans' bill.

The proposed legislation aims to ensure that all service branches, including the Coast Guard, receive pay during government shutdowns, as Kiggans pointed out.

""It provides reassurance for military families that their loved ones will receive a paycheck, regardless of whether they are defense contractors or civilians essential to military service," she stated."

Kiggans stated that there was "a lot of uncertainty in this Congress" when asked if the Wednesday vote made her more nervous about the possibility of a shutdown.

Kiggans expressed disappointment that the funding bills were not passed promptly, stating that he believes the American public would concur.

She expressed a preference for devoting some of the August recess to working on the 12 appropriations bills that Congress must pass annually, instead of rushing to find more time with a CR.

"I'm surprised it didn't pass," Kiggans said of Johnson's conservative CR. "I wish it was different, and we had passed it," the speaker's allies hoped it would be a strong opening salvo in the House's negotiations with the Senate.

Kiggans stated, "Although we'll need to persist in our efforts, there's hope that we'll achieve success soon."

Johnson was informed by her office that her bill was being prepared, but the legislation would likely not be deployed for a House-wide vote unless a shutdown was imminent.

Kiggans stated, "My gut instinct is that they probably won't bring it to the floor unless we face the reality of it."