Eleven Votes, Zero Shame: Senate Democrats Block Pay for 475,000 Troops and Military Families

WASHINGTON, D.C. — As the Democrat shutdown extends into its fourth week, over 475,000 servicemembers in six states face financial uncertainty while their elected Senators vote time and time again to deny them paychecks. Servicemembers are being pulled from critical training exercises and military families are lining up at food pantries.

Without the bold intervention of President Trump and Secretary Hegseth, servicemembers and their families would have missed their latest paycheck. While Senate Democrats continue casting their votes to shut down the government, House Republicans are standing up for the men and women in uniform along with their families.

Members of the Republican Study Committee (RSC) called out Democrat Senators in their states for impeding military readiness and putting politics over brave American servicemembers:

"For our service members, receiving a paycheck is not a luxury, but is earned every day through their service to our nation. President Trump took decisive action to ensure our military families were paid last week, but this was a one-time fix. Every time a Democrat Senator — especially those representing states with significant active-duty military populations —votes to prolong this government shutdown, they also vote against providing financial stability for our military families and the security of our nation,” said Rep. Rob Wittman (VA-01). 

“Georgia’s Senators have repeatedly proven that their priorities do not lie with servicemembers at Fort Gordon and across our state, but rather with Chuck Schumer and their radical base. Our military families deserve better than Senate Democrats’ political games,” said Rep. Rick Allen (GA-12).

“Jon Ossoff keeps finding new ways to turn his back on the military community – it is truly astounding. From using our veterans as political pawns to refusing to fund the Department of War, Georgia’s servicemembers deserve better than someone who willingly trades their paychecks for health care for illegal immigrants,” said Rep. Buddy Carter (GA-01). 

“California is home to more active-duty servicemembers than any other state, and my district has one of the highest concentrations of military families in the nation. These men and women put their lives on the line for our country, and they shouldn’t have to worry about missing paychecks because of partisan funding feuds. We need to immediately reopen the government and make sure our troops and their families receive the paycheck they’ve earned,” said Rep. Jay Obernolte (CA-23).

“Senator Patty Murray has now voted twelve times against a commonsense bill to keep the government open at the same spending levels she supported under President Biden. That’s pure hypocrisy. The Schumer Shutdown may be playing to their base, but it’s hurting people. Right now, 57,000 active-duty service members in Washington state, including hundreds of families near Fairchild Air Force Base, are facing pay uncertainty because our senators would rather play politics than keep the lights on. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Washington’s heroes deserve better than Washington, D.C.’s dysfunction,” said Rep. Michael Baumgartner (WA-05). 

“Colorado Senators Bennett and Hickenlooper are putting our troops at risk. 2 in 3 military families have less than $3,000 in savings, and 1 in 3 servicemembers live paycheck to paycheck. Yet, Senate Democrats continue to play partisan games that, in turn, hurt those who serve our nation," said Rep. Jeff Crank (CO-05).