Bergman Co-Sponsors Pay Our Coast Guard Act

Washington – Congressman Jack Bergman has announced his support of a bipartisan bill to pay U.S. Coast Guard members during the partial government shutdown. H.R. 367, the Pay Our Coast Guard Parity Act of 2019, would provide all pay and benefits for members of the Coast Guard as well as the roughly 50,000 Coast Guard military retirees who will not receive a paycheck on February 1st if the shutdown continues. Congressman Bergman issued the following release:

“Michigan’s First District is home to Coast Guard Station Sault Ste. Marie and Coast Guard Air Station Traverse City. From Ice-breaking to life-saving search and rescue efforts, the men and women of the Coast Guard continue their work despite Congress’ failure to appropriate money to pay them. I appreciate my colleagues from both sides of the aisle who recognize this, and have come together among many disagreements to ensure our Coast Guardsmen and women receive the pay they’ve earned,” said Bergman.

The Pay Our Coast Guard Parity Act of 2019 includes:
Pay and allowances for active duty and reserve members of the Coast Guard;
Pay and allowances for civilian employees of the Coast Guard;
Pay and allowances for contractors of the Coast Guard;
The payment of death gratuities with respect to members of the Coast Guard;
The payment or reimbursement of authorized funeral travel;
The temporary continuation of a basic allowance of housing for dependents of members of the Coast Guard dying on active duty; and
Coast Guard retired pay and benefits.

Rep. Bergman also co-sponsored legislation which would prohibit Members of Congress from receiving pay in the event of a government shutdown, saying “If Congress fails to do its job resulting in a shutdown, then we should forfeit our pay as well. American citizens sent us to Washington to solve problems, not cause them. If we can’t do that, we don’t deserve to get paid.”