[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 134 (Wednesday, October 2, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1416]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          PAY OUR MILITARY ACT

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                         HON. RENEE L. ELLMERS

                           of north carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, October 2, 2013

  Mrs. ELLMERS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to submit the following:

                                      Committee on Armed Services,


                                     House of Representatives,

                                  Washington, DC, October 1, 2013.
     Hon. Chuck Hagel,
     Secretary of Defense, Pentagon,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. Secretary: I share the concerns you've expressed 
     about the seriousness of the lapse in appropriations and the 
     additional negative impacts on military readiness associated 
     with a significant furlough of defense civilian workforce. In 
     an effort to mitigate these harmful effects, the Congress 
     reached unanimous agreement that the members of our Armed 
     Forces, as well as the civilians and contractors who provide 
     support to the Armed Forces, should continue to receive pay 
     and allowances. As you know, this legislation, H.R. 3210, the 
     Pay Our Military Act, sponsored by Representative Mike 
     Coffman (R-CO), was signed into law last night. With the 
     enactment of this law, active duty uniformed personnel can 
     continue to be paid for their service and most civilian 
     defense workers should remain on the job.
       I was heartened to read your statement indicating that it 
     is a priority for your General Counsel to review the 
     legislation, ``to see if there's any margin here, or widening 
     in the interpretation of the law of exempt versus non-exempt 
     civilians.'' I believe the legislation provides you broad 
     latitude and I encourage you to use it. The text does not 
     limit the provision of pay to civilians who were previously 
     categorized by the Administration as ``excepted'' or 
     ``essential'' for the purposes of Department of Defense 
     operations in the event of a government shutdown. Therefore, 
     I strongly encourage you to use the authority Congress has 
     given you to keep national security running, rather than 
     keeping defense civilians at home when they are authorized to 
     work. Likewise, as your General Counsel reviews the 
     legislation, I request additional information regarding the 
     provision of pay and allowances to members of the military 
     Reserves and National Guard.
       I look forward to an update on the Administration's 
     interpretation of H.R. 3210 later today. I know you would 
     agree with me that this is no time to use national security 
     or our national security workforce as a political pawn.
           Sincerely,
                                        Howard P. ``Buck'' McKeon,
     Chairman.

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