H.R. 374 – Always Ready Act of 2019

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Updated April 14, 2026 at 12:09 AM UTC

The Always Ready Act of 2019 ensures that Coast Guard personnel, civilian staff, contractors, and retirees continue to receive their pay and related benefits if the fiscal year 2019 appropriations for the Coast Guard lapse and a new funding bill has not been passed. It provides a temporary funding source from Treasury money until a regular or continuing appropriations act is enacted or until October 1, 2019.

Key Provisions

Allows Treasury funds to be used to pay active‑duty and reserve Coast Guard members, civilian employees, and contractors when FY‑2019 appropriations are not in effect.
Provides for death gratuities, funeral travel, and temporary housing allowances for families of Coast Guard members who die on active duty.
Continues payment of retired Coast Guard pay during the funding gap.
The temporary funding ends when a new appropriation is enacted, when an appropriations resolution is passed without funding, or on October 1, 2019, whichever comes first.

Legislative Activity

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1 earlier action

HouseIntro Referral Latest Action

Referred to the House Committee on Appropriations.

Appropriations Committee

January 9, 2019

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

January 9, 2019

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Appropriations.

Appropriations Committee

January 9, 2019

Bill Text

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Introduced in HouseIssued January 9, 2019

I

116th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 374

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

January 9, 2019

Mr. Byrne introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Appropriations

A BILL

To make continuing appropriations for Coast Guard pay in the event that appropriations for Coast Guard pay in fiscal year 2019 expire and a new appropriations Act has not been enacted.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Always Ready Act of 2019.

2.

Continuing appropriations for members of the Coast Guard

There are hereby appropriated for fiscal year 2019, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, for any period during which interim or full-year appropriations for the Coast Guard are not in effect—

(1)

such sums as are necessary to provide pay and allowances to members of the Coast Guard (as described in section 1 of title 14, United States Code), including the reserve component thereof, who perform active service or inactive-duty training during such period;

(2)

such sums as are necessary to provide pay and allowances to civilian employees of the Coast Guard;

(3)

such sums as are necessary to provide pay and allowances to contractors of the Coast Guard;

(4)

such sums as are necessary for—

(A)

the payment of a death gratuity under sections 1475 through 1477 and 1489 of title 10, United States Code, with respect to members of the Coast Guard;

(B)

the payment or reimbursement of authorized funeral travel and travel related to the dignified transfer of remains and unit memorial services under section 481f of title 37, United States Code, with respect to members of the Coast Guard; and

(C)

the temporary continuation of a basic allowance of housing for dependents of members of the Coast Guard dying on active duty, as authorized by section 403(l) of title 37, United States Code; and

(5)

such sums as are necessary to provide for Coast Guard retired pay, including such payments as are described in the provision regarding Coast Guard retired pay in title II of division F of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018 (Public Law 115–141; 132 Stat. 348).

3.

Termination

Appropriations and funds made available and authority granted pursuant to this Act shall be available until whichever of the following first occurs:

(1)

The enactment into law of an appropriation (including a continuing appropriation) for any purpose for which amounts are made available in section 2.

(2)

The enactment into law of the applicable regular or continuing appropriations resolution or other Act without any appropriation for such purpose.

(3)

October 1, 2019.