The current partial shutdown of the U.S. government has now lasted 27 days. There have been 20 government shutdowns since 1976 — this one is the longest in U.S. history. The shutdown impacts about a quarter of the government, including nine federal departments and several other agencies. 800,000 government workers are currently going without pay and more than 50 percent of these workers are still expected to come to work.Among those workers are members of the U.S. military, as many as 43,000 Coast Guard employees are working through the shutdown without pay.
The U.S. Coast Guard is still conducting search-and-rescue operations, securing the nation’s ports, coastlines, and a whole host of other things while the government is shut down. Unlike other branches of the U.S. Armed Forces, the Coast Guard isn’t getting paid for this work. The Coast Guard is the only branch of the military that does not receive funding during the government shutdown, because it falls under the jurisdiction of the Department of Homeland Security, and not the Department of Defense.
Much of the shutdown can be attributed to a standoff over President Donald Trump’s demands for $5.7 billion in appropriations to fund a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. Donald Trump may have backed away froma threat to declare a national emergency in order to bypass Congress and build a wall on the southern border, but his preoccupation with his 2016 campaign promise persists. The US-Mexico border is 1,954 miles (3,145km) long and crosses vast deserts and mountains in California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas. About 654 miles of that have some sort of manmade barrier, such as fencing or a wall. Most of it was built after 2006.
On Tuesday, they did not receive their scheduled paychecks. Admiral Karl L. Schultz, Commandant the U.S. Coast Guard, issued a statement. “Today you will not be receiving your regularly scheduled mid-month paycheck,” wrote Admiral Schultz. “To the best of my knowledge, this marks the first time in our Nation’s history that service members in a U.S. Armed Force have not been paid during a lapse in government appropriations.I recognize the anxiety and uncertainty this situation places on you and your family, and we are working closely with service organizations on your behalf. To this end, I am encouraged to share that Coast Guard Mutual Assistance (CGMA) has received a $15 million donation from USAA to support our people in need. In partnership with CGMA, the American Red Cross will assist in the distribution of these funds to our military and civilian workforce requiring assistance.”
