Authorities shutdown continues: What’s taking place with navy paychecks

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Welcome to The Logoff: The Trump administration goes to extraordinary — and sure unlawful — measures to pay members of the US navy as a federal authorities shutdown stretches on.

What’s taking place? Right now is payday for the navy, and below unusual circumstances, they'd miss a paycheck for the primary time ever due to the federal government shutdown, now in its third week. As a substitute, the Trump administration says it's repurposing already-appropriated Protection Division funds to pay troopers.

What’s the context? Navy pay is only one means the Trump administration is circumventing some penalties of a shutdown; the administration can also be utilizing tariff income to fund a key diet program for low-income dad and mom and kids.

For hundreds of thousands of different federal staff, nonetheless, the persevering with shutdown means no paychecks and potential monetary peril.

Why does this matter? In earlier shutdowns, navy pay has develop into a ache level that may power lawmakers to come back to the desk and reopen the federal government — or at the least go a standalone invoice to pay servicemembers. That will nonetheless occur if the shutdown continues, as a result of it’s unclear how a lot extra cash DOD can discover to maintain issuing paychecks. However at the least for now, it lets lawmakers punt on the difficulty.

President Donald Trump’s maneuver additionally underscores the problem Democrats have with voting to fund the federal government. The precise concern — paychecks for troops — has clear bipartisan help, however the methodology — transferring round congressionally appropriated {dollars} at will — is unlikely to spice up Democratic confidence that the administration will keep on with the phrases of any new funding deal.

What’s the large image? This isn't simply in regards to the shutdown. By discovering a strategy to pay the troops with out involving Congress, Trump is encroaching on the constitutional energy of the purse that's explicitly reserved for Congress alone. On the similar time, Trump can also be holding up congressionally appropriated funding when he desires. It’s an end-run round Congress from each instructions, and an unprecedented focus of energy for a US president.

And with that, it’s time to log out…

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