1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Military Pay Act”.
Military Pay Act
A BILL
To ensure the pay and allowances of members of the Armed Forces in the event that the debt limit is reached or during a funding gap, and for other purposes.
2. Pay and allowances for national security personnel if the debt ceiling is reached
In the event that the debt of the United States Government, as defined in section 3101 of title 31, United States Code, reaches the statutory limit, the Secretary of the Treasury shall make available the following amounts:
Such amounts as the Secretary of Defense (and the Secretary of Homeland Security in the case of the Coast Guard) determines to be necessary to continue to provide pay and allowances (without interruption) to members of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard, including reserve components thereof, as well as civilian employees of the Department of Defense (and the Department of Homeland Security in the case of the Coast Guard) and designated contractors.
Such amounts as the President certifies to Congress as are necessary to carry out vital national security priorities of the United States.
3. Emergency appropriation of funds for defense and national security during a funding gap
In general— During any funding gap, the Secretary of the Treasury shall make available, out of any amounts in the general fund of the Treasury not otherwise appropriated—
such amounts as the Secretary of Defense (and the Secretary of Homeland Security in the case of the Coast Guard) determines to be necessary to continue to provide pay and allowances (without interruption) to members of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard, including reserve components thereof, as well as civilian employees of the Department of Defense (and the Department of Homeland Security in the case of the Coast Guard) and designated contractors; and
such amounts as the President certifies to the Congress are necessary to carry out vital national security priorities.
Funding gap defined— For purposes of this section and with respect to an obligation incurred by the Government of the United States, the term funding gap means any period of time after the beginning of a fiscal year for which interim or full-year appropriations for such obligation have not been enacted.