In the event that Democrats force a shutdown of the federal government later this week, U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO-9) has signed on to legislation that would ensure that our brave men and women in uniform will continue to be paid.

The legislation, H.R. 1297, would ensure that members of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, reserve components, National Guard and Coast Guard continue to receive pay for active duty service, should the government shutdown.

Luetkemeyer also signed a letter from Kansas U.S. Rep. Kevin Yoder to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid calling on the Senate to secure defense funding and protect the salaries of our servicemen and women, regardless of the outcome of the ongoing debate on overall domestic funding.

“We cannot allow politics to get in the way of paying the salaries of our brave men and women in uniform, who put their lives on the line each day to protect our nation,” Luetkemeyer said. “I believe it is time for the Senate to stop holding our nation hostage by threatening to shutdown the government, even though we have proposed and passed the kind of spending cuts that Americans are demanding.”

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