Senate Leaves DC After Passing Defense Bill and With Government Still Shut Down
The troops will likely miss their October 15 paychecks.
The Senate easily passed the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act on Thursday, which funds the Pentagon. From Politico:
The defense legislation — which sets military policy and the broad outlines of the Pentagon budget — was clinched in an 77-20 vote despite a shutdown that’s paralyzed Congress and kept most substantive legislation off the agenda. And when it comes to ensuring troops get paid on time, Congress remains deadlocked, with little indication that either party will relent to reopen the government. Top GOP leaders have also ruled out standalone legislation to continue paying military personnel, despite increasing bipartisan pressure.
Senate Armed Services Chair Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) called the agreement “some good bipartisan news” amid the government funding standoff.
“We’re in an unfortunate period of hyperpartisanship,” Wicker said. “We are ready to show on both sides of the aisle that the Senate can act in the interest of national security and get something done on a bipartisan basis. For heaven’s sake, we need to do that at this moment.”
Great. However, the government remains shut down, which means military pay remains at risk.
So, of course, the Senate is leaving DC on Friday for a long weekend and won’t return until Tuesday.
According to Fox News, Monday is the day to lock in payroll and process the payments.
I’m not sure if the federal holiday prevents that from happening. However, the pay remains unchanged until the government reopens.
I don’t understand why Speaker Mike Johnson rejected a standalone bill to pay the troops.
Actually…I do. These people hate standalone bills because it means they can’t shove their pork into it.
Johnson claimed the Senate would kill the bill “while Democrats also block an already-passed stopgap bill that includes servicemember pay.”
The stopgap bill also funds air traffic and flood insurance.
Then again, Johnson has no plans to bring the House into session next week. He doesn’t want to get it back until the Senate passes the continuing resolution.
President Donald Trump has said he would shift around funds to pay the troops.
[Featured image via YouTube]
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The HoR passed their Defense bill on 25 Sept. Today the Senate passed their version. There’s a difference in price tag with the HoR bill at $893 Billion and Senate bill at $925 Billion. There’s other policy differences between them as well that would need to go to either back to committee, to a joint conference committee or via reconciliation to work out the differences. Neither bill was an ‘appropriation’ bill giving permission for $ to be spent rather both were ‘authorization’ which inform the Executive what items, policies are to receive funding when an appropriation bill is ultimately passed.
The demonrats own this shutdown. Don’t give in President Trump. Yes it’s painful. And please start shutting down demonrat priority agencies and departments. Please shut down USAID entirely. Any program, grant or other money sump please shut it down. All of it.
Not surprise. Trump needs to start firing a few thousand worthless non-essential government workers every day until the Communists see the light
Assign a military security detail for all members of congress and senate. Four soldiers with them at all times except when they were in the bathroom or sleeping.