WASHINGTON—As the government shutdown stretches into another week and SNAP benefits begin to lapse, Vice President JD Vance told reporters following Tuesday’s Senate Republican policy lunch that roughly 1.3 million military service members will still receive their paychecks at the end of this week—despite the shutdown’s 28-day duration, The Hill reported.
“Will the troops get paid on Friday? Yes, we believe that we can continue to pay the troops on Friday,” Vance told reporters, according to The Hill report. “Unfortunately, we’re not going to be able to pay everybody because we’ve been handed a very bad hand by the Democrats. This is one of the reasons why you’ve seen some layoffs in the federal workforce.”
“We do think we can continue to pay the troops at least for now. But we’ve got food stamp benefits that are set to run out at the end of the week,” he added.
Pentagon officials say they’ve located roughly $8 billion in unspent research, development, and technology funds that can be redirected to cover military pay. However, several Republican senators have questioned the legal authority President Trump is invoking to repurpose the money. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Sunday that the Pentagon has sufficient unobligated funds to pay service members through October, but cautioned that the money will be exhausted before troops’ next scheduled payday on Nov. 15, The Hill said.
The Defense Credit Union Council applauds the Administration for securing the funds needed to ensure our active-duty military personnel will be paid this week. This is welcome news for our men and women in uniform and their families, who should never bear the burden of political gridlock in Washington.
The Defense Credit Union Council reacted to the news.
“We strongly urge the Administration to provide the same assurance for our U.S. Coast Guard members, who serve with equal courage and commitment but too often face uncertainty during shutdowns. Every branch of our Armed Forces deserves the guarantee that their pay will not be disrupted,” said DCUC Chief Advocacy Officer Jason Stverak.
At the same time, DCUC is calling on Congress to act swiftly to resolve the shutdown and enact long-term solutions so servicemembers never again face the stress of financial insecurity due to budget impasses, Stverak said.
“Throughout this challenging period, defense credit unions and credit unions nationwide have stepped up—offering low-interest loans, skip-a-pay programs, and emergency assistance to ensure military families remain financially secure,” Stverak noted. “Their actions once again demonstrate the mission-first values that define our movement and the vital role credit unions play in supporting those who serve.”