Will military personnel be paid during government shutdown? What you should know

As many Americans begin their holiday celebrations, service members face uncertainty as a possible government shutdown looms.

Congress reached a bipartisan agreement on Tuesday aimed at maintaining funding for the government through March, but it was overturned by opposition from conservatives. The current funding expires on Friday.

Now all eyes are on Capitol Hill as lawmakers compete to see if they can find a deal to keep the government open.

The federal government has closed 21 times since 1977, for a total of 162 days and an average of nearly eight days per closure.

Here’s what you need to know about how a government shutdown could affect military members.

Live updates on the latest information from CongressWill there be a government shutdown?

What is a government shutdown?

Each fiscal year, Congress appropriates funds for the operations of federal agencies. In the absence of signed appropriations or a continuing resolution, affected federal agencies must cease or halt normal spending, explains the United States Office of Personnel Management (OPM).

Military and federal law enforcement personnel

Active military members typically do not receive pay during a government shutdown, although they continue to report for duty.

Ahead of a possible shutdown in September 2023, the Defense Department said in a memo to Pentagon leaders that “military personnel will not be paid until Congress appropriates available funds to compensate them for that period of service.”

The government has about 1.3 million active military personnel and 800,000 National Guardsmen and reservists.

The Pentagon is also likely to pause military recruiting and deployment planning. The pay and vacation pause will have impacts that extend beyond U.S. borders.

USAA government shutdown program

USAA is preparing to step in for affected members with an interest-free loan of one take-home pay (from $500 to $6,000) and various payment relief, the financial services company said on its website.

Employees of an affected federal agency are eligible to apply and will receive their government paycheck in their deposit account at USAA Bank, the financial services company said.

Which federal employees are affected by a government shutdown?

In the event of a government shutdown, not all government operations will cease, the OPM explains.

Employees of national defense, law enforcement and other departments that protect life and property are expected to continue working, the government agency said.

Additionally, employees not paid from appropriated funds and those managing decommissioning operations will continue to work, OPM said.

Are government employees paid?

OPM explains that employees “who are not required to work due to any of the above exceptions may not even be volunteering their services.”

Until the closure ends, employees who are not required to work will be furloughed, OPM said. Being furloughed means employees are placed in a status without pay or duty, the government agency said.

Featuring: Sarah Al-Arshani, Riley Beggin, Savannah Kuchar, Eric Lagatta, Medora Lee, Ramon Padilla, George Petras; USA TODAY.

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