The most powerful nation on Earth should never leave its heroes waiting for a paycheck. Yet here we are.
As November begins, thousands of servicemembers and veterans across America are wondering how to stretch their savings while Washington drags its feet. The “Schumer Shutdown” has become more than a headline; it’s a gut punch to the men and women who defend this nation and the families who sacrifice alongside them.
In Florida, military service isn’t an abstract idea; it’s our way of life. Our bases are home to tens of thousands of active-duty troops, reservists, and veterans. These families don’t clock out when the government closes. They keep showing up. They protect our skies, respond to disasters, and stand ready around the world even when Washington politics suggests their work isn’t worth a timely paycheck.
GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN BECOMES LONGEST IN US HISTORY
Sadly, many servicemembers are already seeing discrepancies in their paychecks, receiving incorrect pay or no pay at all during the October mid-month pay cycle. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has warned that if the shutdown stretches into mid-November, service members will miss their November 15 paychecks altogether. President Donald Trump has stepped up to redirect emergency funds to cover military payrolls for now, but those accounts are quickly draining. Congress must reopen the government before those funds run dry.
It’s embarrassing and shameful that Democratic leaders in Congress seem more focused on their polling numbers than on the Americans who rely on them to meet their basic needs. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) even said, “Every day gets better for us,” referring to the shutdown, a statement that couldn’t be further from the truth for the families he’s supposed to serve.
This shutdown isn’t just an accounting problem; it’s a failure of leadership. Senate Democrats could have voted for a clean continuing resolution to keep the government open and ensure our troops and law enforcement officers were paid. Instead, they have chosen to hold paychecks hostage to protect the benefits for illegal immigrants. Every day this shutdown drags on, families miss mortgage payments, young troops worry about their next grocery run, and veterans waiting for care are left in limbo. Our military and families deserve better. They deserve a government that matches their sacrifice with accountability, leaders who won’t use their livelihoods as leverage for partisan gain.
CONGRESSIONAL DEMOCRATS SENSE OPPORTUNITY TO FINALLY GET BALL ROLLING ON ENDING SHUTDOWN
November is Military Family Month, a time dedicated to honoring servicemembers, yet they’re the ones being punished. As your representative, I will keep fighting to reopen the government, secure their pay, and ensure this never happens again.
America is strongest when we stand behind those who stand for us. Let’s prove that now, by ending the Schumer Shutdown and restoring honor to the people who’ve earned it most.
Jimmy Patronis is the U.S. House representative from Florida’s First Congressional District.
