Armed Forces Compensation During a Lapse in Appropriations (CRS Report for Congress)
| Release Date |
Revised Sept. 27, 2023 |
| Report Number |
IN12244 |
| Report Type |
Insight |
| Authors |
Kristy N. Kamarck; Brendan W. McGarry |
| Source Agency |
Congressional Research Service |
| Older Revisions |
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Summary:
Compensation for members of the Armed Forces (i.e., Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Space
Force, and Coast Guard) is funded through annual appropriations to personnel-related line items in
accounts of the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security
(DHS). These accounts include funding for pay and allowances of active and reserve component
members, along with travel-related expenses.
In anticipation of or during previous lapses in appropriations, Congress has considered actions to ensure
that certain members of the Armed Forces continue to receive pay and benefits. In the past decade, two
lapses in appropriations affecting DOD and DHS generated particular congressional interest in Armed
Forces compensation. In FY2014, a lapse in appropriations resulted in a shutdown of numerous
government operations for 16 days, affecting both DOD and DHS. In FY2019, while DOD was not
affected by a partial government shutdown, DHS—and thus the Coast Guard—was among the entities
affected by a 35-day lapse in appropriations.
Although military retirement is funded through annual appropriations, retired pay and survivor benefits
are distributed from the Military Retirement Fund. As such, retirees and survivor benefit plan
beneficiaries generally continue to receive disbursements during a lapse in appropriations.
