S. 21 – Pay Our Coast Guard Act

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Updated April 13, 2026 at 11:55 PM UTC

The Pay Our Coast Guard Act would ensure that Coast Guard personnel, civilian employees, contractors, and retirees continue to receive their pay and related benefits if a regular appropriations bill expires before a new one is passed. It provides a temporary funding source from any unallocated Treasury money until a new appropriation is enacted. The bill affects all members of the Coast Guard, including reserves, civilian staff, contractors, and surviving families.

Key Provisions

Allows the Treasury to supply funds needed to pay active‑duty Coast Guard members, reservists, civilian employees, and contractors during any gap in appropriations.
Provides money for death gratuities, funeral travel, and temporary housing allowances for families of Coast Guard members who die on active duty.
Ensures continued payment of retired Coast Guard pay during the funding gap.
The temporary funding remains in effect until either a new appropriation (including a continuing one) is enacted or the regular appropriations process concludes without providing those funds.

Legislative Activity

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2 earlier actions

SenateCalendars Latest Action

Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 2. (text: CR S27)

January 4, 2019

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SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

January 3, 2019

SenateCalendars

Introduced in the Senate. Read the first time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time.

January 3, 2019

SenateCalendars

Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 2. (text: CR S27)

January 4, 2019

Floor Debate

2 members

What members said about S. 21 on the floor

2 Republicans

Sen. Mitch McConnellR-KY · Jan 4, 2019

Mr. President, I understand there are three bills at the desk due for a second reading en bloc. In order to place the bills on the calendar under the provisions of rule XIV, I object to further…

Sen. John ThuneR-SD · Jan 4, 2019

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Sen. John ThuneR-SD · Jan 4, 2019

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Bill Text

Latest available legislative text

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Placed on Calendar SenateIssued January 4, 2019

II

Calendar No. 2

116th CONGRESS

1st Session

S. 21

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

January 3, 2019

Mr. Thune (for himself, Mr. Wicker, Ms. Cantwell, Mr. Blumenthal, Mr. Jones, Ms. Collins, and Mrs. Hyde-Smith) introduced the following bill; which was read the first time

January 4, 2019

Read the second time and placed on the calendar

A BILL

Making continuing appropriations for Coast Guard pay in the event an appropriations act expires prior to the enactment of a new appropriations act.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Pay Our Coast Guard Act.

2.

Continuing appropriations for the Coast Guard

There are hereby appropriated, 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 1475-1477 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 (P.L. 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.

January 4, 2019

Read the second time and placed on the calendar