In the past two weeks, multiple members of Congress have rallied behind the U.S. Coast Guard and introduced legislation in the Senate and the House of Representatives to ensure that members receive pay in the event of a government shutdown. With the deadline looming on March 14, there is a real possibility that Coast Guard members will be holding the “Long Blue Line” without pay and benefits.
Certain members of Congress are looking to change that.
U.S. Representative Hillary Scholten started the charge in late February by reintroducing the bipartisan Pay Our Coast Guard Parity Act of 2025. This Act, similar to the legislation she proposed in 2023, would provide pay for Coast Guard members for up to two weeks and treat them financially the same as other military members that are part of the U.S. Department of Defense.
U.S. Senator Ted Cruz and a bipartisan group proposed similar legislation called the Pay Our Coast Guard Act in the Senate. This legislation would cover pay and allowances for active duty Coast Guard members, reservists on active duty orders, civilian personnel and contractors. It would also cover certain memorial benefits for activity duty personnel and dependents including housing allowances for dependents of members who lost their lives in active service.
Then U.S. Representative Jen Kiggans reintroduced the Pay Our Troops Act on March 6th that would ensure all members of the military (including the Coast Guard) are paid in the event of a shutdown. This is similar to a bill she proposed in 2024. U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan may reintroduce a similar bill in the Senate.
Because the Coast Guard is housed within the Department of Homeland Security during peacetime, prior government shutdowns have left Coast Guard members without pay even though they conduct critical national security missions and military operations. In 2019, Coast Guard members went without pay for 34 days that had significant impacts on their and their dependents’ lives. During this time, those affected had to rely on savings, food pantries and other charitable support from Coast Guard member support organizations. Those organizations are now back in action and, in the case of the Coast Guard Mutual Assistance, it is offering interest-free loans to help members with rent, insurance or daycare costs in the event of a shutdown.
Given that prior legislative attempts have not been successful to date, it is an interesting question whether President Trump could use an Executive Order to place the Coast Guard into the Navy during the shutdown to secure the necessary funding. The last time that occurred was during World War II.
Whether or not the funding loophole for the Coast Guard is plugged in the next week or in the future, the Coast Guard will remain steadfast in service to keep our nation safe. Just recently, Secretary Kristi Noem announced on social media that “[s]ince President Trump took office, the U.S. Coast Guard has interdicted 60,000 pounds of cocaine and other deadly drugs. Our men & women of the Coast Guard are on the frontlines of the fentanyl crisis.”
