During the shutdown, service members are doing their jobs while Washington fails to do its own.

<<<READ OUR NEW EXPLAINER ON HOW THE SHUTDOWN IS AFFECTING MILITARY FAMILIES AND OUR NATIONAL DEFENSE>>> ([link removed] )

John,

One of the core values ([link removed] ) of the No Labels movement is simple: We support, and are grateful for, the U.S. military and law enforcement personnel who keep us safe. That gratitude should mean more than simply thanking those who defend us. It should mean making sure we take care of them as much as they take care of us. And right now, Washington is failing in that responsibility.

As the government shutdown enters its fourth week, more than a million active-duty service members are still reporting for duty every day, with no guarantee of getting paid. The paycheck they received earlier this month only happened because the White House scrounged together just enough Department of Defense funding to cover it. Unless something changes fast, their next one may not arrive at all.

As I detail in a new piece on The Latest ([link removed] ) , the shutdown will have severe consequences for our families who serve. Many military families already live with significant financial stressors. Junior enlisted service members earn less than $30,000 a year in base pay, and nearly half of military families rely on a single income. Frequent moves make it hard for spouses to work and harder still to build any savings. For some, a missed paycheck means missed rent or empty grocery carts.

Just as concerning as the service members working without pay are the parts of our national security apparatus that are totally on ice during this shutdown. The National Guard has already cancelled most of its weekend drills, and hundreds of thousands of civilian defense workers have been furloughed. For instance, the agency that oversees America’s nuclear weapons stockpile, the National Nuclear Security Administration, has furloughed staff for the first time ever.

This matters even if you do not see it. In fact, it matters because most Americans no longer see it up close. A few generations ago, nearly every family had a direct connection to military service. That is no longer true. Fewer than one percent of Americans serve today. Among younger adults, only about a third have an immediate family member who has.

We ask a small slice of the country to carry a very large burden. Every American, no matter their party, ought to agree on one thing: If we can deploy a service member, we can pay them.

If you agree, we hope you will take a moment to read and share our new explainer on how the shutdown is hurting military families and weakening our defenses.

READ OUR FULL EXPLAINER HERE ▸
([link removed] )

Thank you for standing with us, and with those who serve.

Peyton Lofton

Senior Policy Analyst

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