[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 20 (Tuesday, January 30, 2018)]
[House]
[Page H687]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           MILITARY PAYCHECKS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Texas (Mr. Gohmert) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. GOHMERT. Mr. Speaker, it is nice to have the United States 
economy starting to win again. It was a great tribute to the 
President's leadership that we got a tax bill done that is already 
reaping fantastic benefits for so many across the country.
  It is rather amazing to see people in some parts of the media who 
have taken surveys already to see if people have benefited from a tax 
bill that actually applies to the taxes due at the end of this year 
even before they get their February paycheck that will actually reflect 
those savings. But I guess if your goal is to undermine the President 
at every turn rather than to be fair and impartial media, that is the 
kind of thing you do in January. You do it quickly before individuals 
have a chance to say and know how much the tax bill will improve their 
lives.
  It is also rather amazing to hear people from this body refer to a 
$1,000 bonus as crumbs. One would think you would have to basically be 
a multimillionaire to think of $1,000 as crumbs. But for those of us 
who cashed out most everything we had in order to come be a servant in 
Congress, $1,000 is still a lot of money. It will pay a lot of bills. 
It is good for American families and individuals that they are able to 
do that.
  I do want to call attention to something that my friend, Mrs. 
Hartzler, referenced, and that is the threat of paychecks not coming to 
our military when they are in harm's way protecting our very freedoms 
that allow us to debate and push through legislation.
  Going back to 2011, I saw the military used as pawns in order to 
force--or try to force--Republicans to vote for a bad continuing 
resolution that broke many of our promises. I had encouraged the 
Speaker, at that time, that we needed to do something to make sure that 
our military--the military pay--was treated as our Social Security 
paychecks were treated where they are on automatic pilot, and even if 
there is a shutdown, those checks continue to go out.
  I know that is a surprise to some of our seniors because, in the last 
administration, the President and others continually told people that, 
if there was a shutdown, the Social Security checks would not be going 
out. Unfortunately, that was just a problem of ignorance, and, of 
course, there is no House rule that objects to our pointing out 
ignorance of a fact. But the fact is Social Security checks go out 
automatically. If someone is entitled to an increase in their Social 
Security check, that does not occur until after the shutdown is over.
  After I saw that the Republican Speaker, back in 2011, after being 
warned that we shouldn't use our military pay as leverage to get people 
to vote for a bill that they shouldn't vote for, I actually filed a 
bill before that CR came due that would ensure that the military was 
paid as Social Security. If you are entitled to a promotion or 
additional pay, that doesn't come until the shutdown is over.
  That bill has again been filed in this Congress. The name is the ASAP 
bill, Armed Services Always Paid. We need to go ahead and bring that 
bill to the floor, push the Senate to do the same thing, and put our 
military's pay on automatic pilot. They would never have to worry.
  Having served in the military, in the U.S. Army, for 4 years, I know 
our military is being paid better than we were back when I was on 
Active Duty. But even still, I know too many in our military who are 
barely getting by on what they are paid. The last thing they need is to 
be in harm's way dodging bullets or IEDs or rocket-propelled grenades 
and have to be worrying whether their loved ones back in the United 
States are going to have the check so that they can pay their car 
payment and their home payment.
  Let's pass this ASAP bill immediately.

                          ____________________