Pay Our Coast Guard Parity Act of 2025
- Bill Number
- H.R. 1542
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Transportation and Public Works
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-02-24: Referred to the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation.
- Last Updated
- 2026-04-03T08:05:47Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
The Pay Our Coast Guard Parity Act of 2025 aims to ensure that members of the U.S. Coast Guard, along with certain civilian and contract employees, continue to receive pay and benefits during specific funding lapses in federal appropriations. It addresses situations where the Coast Guard lacks funding while the Department of Defense (DoD) has appropriations, promoting equitable treatment for the Coast Guard as a military branch.
Key Provisions
- Funding During Lapses: If a "Coast Guard-specific funding lapse" occurs—meaning no appropriations for the Coast Guard at the start of a fiscal year, but DoD receives funding—the bill authorizes necessary sums for:
- Pay and allowances for active-duty and reserve Coast Guard military members.
- Pay and benefits for "qualified" civilian employees (those supporting military operations or performing emergency/excepted work, as defined by the Office of Personnel Management).
- Pay and benefits for "qualified" contract employees (those supporting military or civilian Coast Guard personnel or required to work during lapses).
- Specific benefits, including death gratuities (one-time payments to families of deceased service members), funeral travel reimbursements, and temporary housing allowances for dependents of members who die on active duty.
- Duration and Termination: Funding is available until the earliest of: enactment of Coast Guard appropriations; enactment of a budget without Coast Guard funding; end of DoD funding; or 2 weeks after the lapse begins.
- Operational Details: Appropriations match the rate and manner of the most recent relevant funding act. Expenditures are later charged to future appropriations. Funds can be used without standard time limits for budget apportionment (dividing funds among agencies), but other budgeting rules still apply.
- Congressional Findings: Affirms the Coast Guard's status as a permanent military branch (under DHS or Navy) and the need for pay equity with other armed forces.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Adds a new section (2780) to Chapter 27 of Title 14, United States Code (which governs Coast Guard operations), specifically for pay continuation during targeted funding gaps. This is the first such provision tailored to the Coast Guard, unlike broader shutdown protections that apply unevenly to military branches.
- Updates the table of contents for Chapter 27 to include the new section.
- No changes to DoD funding rules, but it creates parity by linking Coast Guard pay to DoD's funded status during lapses.
Potential Impacts
- On Government Agencies: Provides short-term financial stability for the Coast Guard (under DHS), allowing continued operations without immediate pay disruptions. It may reduce administrative burdens during shutdowns but could strain future budgets by requiring retroactive charging of funds.
- On Citizens: Indirectly benefits Coast Guard families by preventing income loss, which could otherwise lead to financial hardship, delayed benefits, or morale issues among service members. No direct impact on the general public or international relations.
- Broader Effects: Minimizes operational disruptions in Coast Guard missions like maritime security and search-and-rescue, potentially enhancing national security during fiscal delays.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Coast Guard Personnel: Military members (active and reserve), civilian employees, and contractors who rely on timely pay and benefits.
- Department of Homeland Security (DHS): Oversees Coast Guard funding and implementation.
- Congress and Treasury Department: Responsible for enacting appropriations and managing fund charges/apportionments.
- Families of Service Members: Benefit from continued death and housing support.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Strengthens statutory equity under Title 14 and Title 37 (pay and allowances), without altering constitutional spending powers (Article I, Section 9 requires appropriations for expenditures). It circumvents some procedural delays in the Antideficiency Act (which prohibits spending unappropriated funds) by providing contingency authority, but limits it to 2 weeks to avoid indefinite funding.
- Constitutional: Aligns with Congress's power to appropriate funds and support the armed forces (Article I, Section 8), ensuring the Coast Guard's military role isn't undermined by budgetary impasses.
- Political: Highlights partisan budget disputes by addressing past shutdowns (e.g., 2018–2019) where Coast Guard pay was delayed unlike DoD's. Could set a precedent for similar protections for other non-DoD agencies, influencing future appropriations debates, but the 2-week cap balances fiscal responsibility with urgency.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Rep. Scholten, Hillary J. [D-MI-3]
Cosponsors (67)
Rep. Barrett, Tom [R-MI-7], Rep. Moulton, Seth [D-MA-6], Rep. DelBene, Suzan K. [D-WA-1], Rep. Brownley, Julia [D-CA-26], Rep. Peters, Scott H. [D-CA-50], Del. Moylan, James C. [R-GU-At Large], Rep. Bonamici, Suzanne [D-OR-1], Rep. Scanlon, Mary Gay [D-PA-5], Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large], Rep. Tokuda, Jill N. [D-HI-2], Rep. Strickland, Marilyn [D-WA-10], Rep. DesJarlais, Scott [R-TN-4], Rep. Correa, J. Luis [D-CA-46], Rep. Carbajal, Salud O. [D-CA-24], Rep. Davis, Donald G. [D-NC-1], Rep. Fitzpatrick, Brian K. [R-PA-1], Rep. Tenney, Claudia [R-NY-24], Rep. Craig, Angie [D-MN-2], Rep. Budzinski, Nikki [D-IL-13], Rep. McBride, Sarah [D-DE-At Large], Rep. Smith, Adam [D-WA-9], Rep. Nadler, Jerrold [D-NY-12], Rep. Bishop, Sanford D. [D-GA-2], Rep. Dingell, Debbie [D-MI-6], Rep. Cohen, Steve [D-TN-9], Rep. Garcia, Sylvia R. [D-TX-29], Rep. Moskowitz, Jared [D-FL-23], Rep. Jacobs, Sara [D-CA-51], Rep. Figures, Shomari [D-AL-2], Rep. Carson, André [D-IN-7], Rep. Kennedy, Timothy M. [D-NY-26], Rep. Mackenzie, Ryan [R-PA-7], Rep. Carter, Troy A. [D-LA-2], Rep. Pappas, Chris [D-NH-1], Rep. Swalwell, Eric [D-CA-14], Rep. Ruiz, Raul [D-CA-25], Rep. Auchincloss, Jake [D-MA-4], Rep. Van Drew, Jefferson [R-NJ-2], Rep. Scott, Robert C. "Bobby" [D-VA-3], Rep. Landsman, Greg [D-OH-1], Rep. Veasey, Marc A. [D-TX-33], Rep. Salinas, Andrea [D-OR-6], Rep. McDonald Rivet, Kristen [D-MI-8], Rep. Bacon, Don [R-NE-2], Rep. Begich, Nicholas J. [R-AK-At Large], Rep. Goldman, Daniel S. [D-NY-10], Rep. Randall, Emily [D-WA-6], Rep. Hoyle, Val T. [D-OR-4], Rep. Evans, Dwight [D-PA-3], Rep. Tran, Derek [D-CA-45] and 17 more
Recent Actions
- 2025-02-24: Referred to the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation.
- 2025-02-24: Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
- 2025-02-24: Introduced in House
- 2025-02-24: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Pay Our Coast Guard Parity Act of 2025 — issued 2025-02-24 — PDF (6 pages)