I 112th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 1551 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES April 14, 2011 Mr. Hunter introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Appropriations, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned A BILL To prioritize certain Government obligations for continued payment in the event that the statutory debt limit is reached, to appropriate funds for the pay and allowances of all members of the Armed Forces, and for those civilian employees of the Department of Defense and the Coast Guard serving in a combat zone, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Guarantee Paychecks for America’s Military Families Act.

2.

Definitions

In this section: (1)The term Armed Forces means the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard, including reserve components thereof. (2)The term combat zone has the meaning given that term in section 112(c)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986. (3)The term contingency operation has the meaning given that term in section 101(a)(13) of title 10, United States Code. (4)The term military personnel accounts mean the military personnel, reserve personnel, and National Guard personnel accounts of the Department of Defense, generally title I of an annual Department of Defense appropriations Act, and the corresponding accounts for the Department of Homeland Security used to provide pay and allowances for members of the Coast Guard. (5)The term pay and allowances means basic pay, bonuses and special pay, allowances and any other forms of compensation available for members of the Armed Forces under title 37, United States Code, or otherwise paid from military personnel accounts. (6)The term period of lapsed appropriations means any period during which appropriations are not available due to the absence of the timely enactment of any Act or joint resolution (whether a general appropriations Act or and Act or joint resolution making continuing appropriations) appropriating funds for the payment of the pay and allowances of members of the Armed Forces or civilian employees of the Department of Defense and the Coast Guard.

3.

Priority given to payment of certain Government obligations in event debt limit is reached

In the event that the debt of the United States Government, as defined in section 3101 of title 31, United States Code, reaches the statutory limit, the following obligations shall take priority over all other obligations incurred by the Government of the United States: (1)The obligation of the Secretary of the Treasury provided in section 3123 of title 31, United States Code, to pay with legal tender the principal and interest on debt held by the public. (2)The obligation of the Secretary of Defense (and the Secretary of Homeland Security in the case of the Coast Guard) to pay members of the Armed Forces the pay and allowances earned under title 37, United States Code, and other compensation paid from the military personnel accounts. (3)The obligations incurred by the Secretary of Defense (and the Secretary of Homeland Security in the case of the Coast Guard) to carry out a contingency operation (as defined in section 101(a)(13) of title 10, United States Code), including the pay earned by civilian employees of the Department of Defense and the Coast Guard serving in a combat zone (as defined in section 112(c)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986).

4.

Permanent appropriation of funds to provide pay and allowances for members of the Armed Forces and certain civilian employees during period of lapsed appropriations

For any period of lapsed appropriations, there are appropriated, out of any moneys in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, to the Secretary of Defense (and the Secretary of Homeland Security in the case of the Coast Guard) such amounts as may be necessary to allow the Secretary of Defense (and the Secretary of Homeland Security in the case of the Coast Guard) to provide, during the period of lapsed appropriations and without interruption— (1)pay and allowances to members of armed forces, including reserve components thereof, who perform active service during the period of lapsed appropriations; and (2)pay to civilian employees of the Department of Defense and the Coast Guard serving in a combat zone.