Bills · HR 5401
IN COMMITTEE· 119TH CONGRESS
House BillHR 5401Armed Forces and National Security
Pay Our Troops Act of 2026
INTRO SEP 16· LAST ACTION SEP 16
READING
3MIN
COSPONSORS
210BIPARTISAN
READER REACTIONS0 TOTAL
NO VOTES YET · BE THE FIRST
- Introduced only
LEGISLATIVE PROGRESS
STEP 2 / 8Introduced
In Committee
Reported
Passed House
Passed Senate
Conference
To President
Became Law
WHAT THE BILL DOES
AI-writtenVoters should care about this bill because it directly addresses the financial well-being and morale of the men and women serving in our military, as well as the essential civilians and contractors who support them. Government shutdowns, which have become a recurring issue, often lead to uncertainty and financial hardship for federal employees, including service members.
If this bill becomes law, it would ensure that a critical segment of the federal workforce—those tied to national defense—are shielded from the immediate pay disruptions caused by a shutdown, preventing stress on military families and potentially maintaining better readiness. If it doesn't become law, military personnel and their support staff could again face delayed or withheld pay during any future government shutdown in fiscal year 2026, as has happened in previous shutdowns.
KEY PROVISIONS
4AI-extractedPROVISION 01
Directly appropriates money for pay and allowances for members of the Armed Forces, including reserves on active service, during a government shutdown in fiscal year 2026.
This ensures that military personnel and their families receive their paychecks without interruption, regardless of a shutdown.
PROVISION 02
Extends the guaranteed pay and allowances to civilian personnel of the Department of Defense and the Coast Guard who are determined to be providing direct support to military members.
This protects essential civilian staff whose work is critical to supporting military operations and personnel.
PROVISION 03
Extends the guaranteed pay and allowances to contractors of the Department of Defense and the Coast Guard who are determined to be providing direct support to military members.
This maintains continuity for key contracted services that directly aid the military during a shutdown.
PROVISION 04
Specifies that these appropriations are for fiscal year 2026 and will terminate upon the enactment of regular or continuing appropriations, or by January 1, 2027, whichever comes first.
This sets a clear timeframe and conditions for when this temporary funding measure will end.
SPONSORSHIP
1 + 210
R· Virginia
YRS IN OFFICE
—
BILLS LED
56
COSPONSOR BREAKDOWNBIPARTISAN · 77%
DEM 81 REP 129 IND 0
ACTION TIMELINE
2 EVENTSSEP 16
Introduced in House
SEP 16
Referred to the House Committee on Appropriations.
BILL INFO
TypeHouse Bill
NumberHR 5401
Congress119th
StatusIn Committee
IntroducedSep 16, 2025
Last actionSep 16, 2025
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IN COMMITTEE· 119TH CONGRESS · APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE · INTRODUCED SEP 16, 2025
House BillHR 5401Armed Forces and National Security
Pay Our Troops Act of 2026
INTRODUCED SEP 16, 2025· LAST ACTION SEP 16, 2025
PASSAGE CHANCES
—%
READING
3 min
COSPONSORS
210
COMPLEXITY
Moderate
