Rep. Duncan Hunter has introduced a bill that would protect military pay if Congress does not raise the debt ceiling.
President Obama told reporters during his Monday news conference that the government would not be able to send out military paychecks if Congress fails to raise the ceiling.
Hunter said in a news release:
“Especially for those who are serving overseas while their families are at home, the threat of not getting paid can create unnecessary distractions. Removing the threat that paychecks might be withheld or delayed will provide a sense of relief and allow our servicemembers to stay focused on their duties.”
If you feel like you've heard this all before, it's because you have. Military families had to worry back in the Summer of 2011 about not getting their paychecks because of a debt ceiling squabble. As Home Post reported then, several lawmakers attempted to introduce legislation to ensure service members got paid, even if Congress didn't raise the ceiling.
But Congress did at virtually the last minute, making those bills moot.
