Would members of the military be paid?
According to the House Committee on Armed Services, Military personnel would serve without pay until funds are appropriated by Congress and signed into law by the President. In any shutdown plan, all military personnel would be deemed exempt and would not be subject to furlough. Accordingly, military personnel on active duty, including reserve component personnel on Federal active duty, would continue to report for duty and carry out assigned duties. Generally, they would accrue pay but not receive a paycheck for any days worked after April 8th until an appropriations bill is passed. Once an appropriation is passed, service members would be paid for the days for which they received no pay.
- If there is a government shutdown at midnight on April 8th, service members would receive midmonth pay (on April 15th) for the 8 days of April covered by the current continuing resolution (CR).
- If there is a 1 week extension of the current CR through April 15th, service members would receive their normal midmonth pay for the first 15 days of April.
Would military operations overseas be affected? How would it impact operations in the three war theaters?
According to the House Committee on Armed Services, in developing the Department’s shutdown plan, the Secretary of Defense would ensure mission accomplishment of critical activities that are needed to prosecute the war in Afghanistan, to complete the military mission in Iraq, and to ensure safety of human life and protection of property including operations for the security of our nation. These activities would be considered “exempt” from shutdown. The Service Secretaries, under the DOD guidance, would also have flexibility to determine what activities should be exempt.
How would services and benefits for military families be impacted?
According to the House Committee on Armed Services, though the shutdown would have a direct impact on families, according to guidance issued by the Department of Defense, among the exempt activities that would continue are:
- Inpatient care in DOD hospitals and acute and emergency outpatient care in DOD hospitals and treatment facilities, but not things like elective surgeries or other procedures.
- Department of Defense schools, “to the extent required by law.”
- Legal assistance for deploying and deployed service members.
- Morale, Welfare and Recreation activities supporting exempt activities. For example, operation of mess halls, physical training, and child care activities required for readiness; and any activity funded solely through non-appropriated funds.
Would resources be available to troops? (ammunition, vests, equipment, etc)
According to the House Committee on Armed Services, the Department’s guidance does not identify every exempt activity, but makes it clear it would be applied in the context of a Department at war, with decisions guaranteeing robust support for those engaged in war, and with assurance that the lives and property of our nation’s citizens would be protected.
What would happen to military installations? Would they be closed?
According to the House Committee on Armed Services, the Department of Defense and each of the Service Secretaries would have latitude in determining which operations and activities are exempt from the shutdown. According to DOD guidance, military operations and activities determined necessary for national security, including administrative, logistical, medical, and other activities in direct support of such operations and activities would be exempt.
Would defense contract operations continue?
According to the House Committee on Armed Services, DOD guidance is that contractors performing under a contract that was fully obligated prior to the expiration of appropriations may continue to provide contract services, whether in support of exempt activities or not. However, new contracts may not be executed unless the contractor is supporting an exempt activity.
