Rep. Matt Gaetz on Monday signaled that U.S. troops should not be used as pawns in the struggle over the federal debt ceiling between the White House and congressional Republicans.
The Fort Walton Beach Republican was expected to file a bill on Monday that ensured the troops got paid on time even if the federal government shuts down because of inaction on the debt ceiling.
Gaetz’s bill, the Armed Services Always Paid (ASAP) Act, “would make it so service members would not need to worry about receiving paychecks regardless of how long Congress negotiates the debt ceiling.”
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On Twitter on Monday, Gaetz said, “While [President] Joe Biden and lawmakers in Congress negotiate the debt limit plan, I hope we can all agree that our military service members should be paid without delay, regardless of how long discussions may take.”
“My legislation, the Armed Services Always Paid (ASAP) Act, will ensure our military receives the pay that they deserve!”
The ASAP Act
The Armed Services Always Paid (ASAP) Act is a bill that would ensure that all active-duty members of the Armed Forces, including reservists, would still be paid if a government shutdown takes place. The bill was introduced by Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) on April 24, 2023.
The ASAP Act would require the Secretary of Defense to make payments to Armed Forces members who are on active duty or in a reserve component, regardless of whether or not Congress has passed a budget.
The payments would be made from the Department of Defense’s appropriations account for military personnel.
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The ASAP Act is a bipartisan bill that has been endorsed by a number of veterans groups, including the American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and the Disabled American Veterans.
The bill has also been endorsed by a number of retired military officers, including former Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Mike Mullen and former Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta.
The House Armed Services Committee is currently considering the ASAP Act. If the bill is passed by the House, it would then go to the Senate for consideration.
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