The Coast Guard’s authorization bill is on the docket as Congress returns to Capitol Hill, but some issues lie in pay at the military branch. Unlike the rest of the military, the Coast Guard is housed under the Department of Homeland Security. This discrepancy meant that thousands of guardsmen went without pay during the last government shutdown, because DHS had no funds appropriated. Mike Stevens, former Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy and executive director of the Navy League, says that they’re working with Congress on legislation to stop this from happing again.
“If it goes through, it would allow members of the Coast Guard to be paid anytime members of the Department of Defense are being paid. We’re hoping that legislation comes through for us,” Stevens said. “We know that in the Coast Guard authorization… the language is not in there, but we are very hopeful that congressional leaders will continue to work together to find a way to include that language.”
