What’s next? The Coast Guard and the Government Shutdown
Within 72 hours, 16,000+ people around the world have checked out my recent post on why we can’t forget the Coast Guard during the longest government shutdown in American history. The response has been nothing short of humbling to me and the greater Coast Guard community.
As a reminder: while the Coast Guard is one of the official branches of the armed forces, they will not receive reliable compensation during the shutdown because they fall under the Department of Homeland Security, not the Department of Defense.
Over the weekend, hundreds of people have reached out, including Coasties and their families taking a moment to celebrate the hard work they do, and others sharing their newfound or deepened appreciation for the Coast Guard. Several more have inquired about how they can support the Coast Guard beyond just adding their name to a petition. This post serves to answer that question.
Right now, a broad coalition of Coast Guard veterans and supporters are praising a bipartisan effort by the House and Senate to make sure Coasties get paid during this shutdown and all others to come. The Pay Our Coast Guard Act was reintroduced in Congress last Thursday and seeks to ensure continued funding for the Coast Guard even in appropriations lapse due to congressional inaction.
“The speedy passage of Senate Bill 21 will quickly alleviate potential hardships that can be placed on our Coast Guard members as a result of holding back their pay,” said Vince Patton, the 8th Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard.
The best way to raise your voice is to get in touch with your representatives to share your support for the Pay Our Coast Guard Act.
Today, I hope you will join me in calling our representatives on Capitol Hill. You can find the phone numbers of all your representatives by clicking here and giving your address.
Why call? It’s my feeling that this isn’t a partisan issue. Not compensating our armed forces — at any time — is an American issue. We are at a critical juncture during the shutdown, and your voice and this story could make the difference to relieve undue financial stress on Coast Guard families.
Here are a few suggestions for your call:
- Keep your message under 30 seconds
- Share why you feel the Coast Guard should be compensated during the government shutdown. Feel free to reference my previous article for facts and figures.
- Ask your legislator to support the Pay Our Coast Guard Act and additional legislation to end the shutdown on behalf of all the federal workers going without pay.
