2 days until our troops go unpaid. This unnecessary financial stress on our service members and their families is undermining our readiness and the focus our military needs to deter threats abroad and keep our homeland safe.
But this shutdown isn’t just affecting the hard earned paychecks of our service members, it’s eroding our national security in other areas as well.
Today, on the Navy’s 250th anniversary, military and civilian workers at public shipyards across the country, critical to our maritime dominance, could be furloughed or required to work without pay. Keeping these shipyards fully operational is vital to ensure the Navy’s missions continue without interruption at a time when our adversaries are rapidly expanding their naval capabilities.
“These men and women are the backbone of our defense industrial base — keeping our ships repaired, modernized, and ready to answer the call at a moment’s notice,” said Navy veteran Rep. Jen Kiggans. “They deserve the certainty of a paycheck for the critical work they perform, regardless of political gridlock in Washington.”
Congress must act immediately to keep our shipyards open and ensure our service members can defend America’s maritime security without compromise.
It’s time to put our military, our national security, and our country above politics. End the shutdown. Pay our troops.
Hooff Cooksey,
Executive Director, Veterans On Duty
