Majority Leader | Research | The Leader Board | THE NEWSR...Skip to primary navigation Skip to content×Close THE NEWSROOMRemarks Press Releases The Leader Board Op-Eds Videos SENATE RESOURCESRepublican Senators Committees Congressional Record Congress.gov Senate Floor Webcast ABOUT LEADER THUNE×Close THE NEWSROOMRemarks Press Releases The Leader Board Op-Eds Videos SENATE RESOURCESRepublican Senators Committees Congressional Record Congress.gov Senate Floor Webcast ABOUT LEADER THUNExxsearchxMENUFacebookXInstagramFacebookXInstagramVisit Leader Thune's South Dakota Site Here THE NEWSROOMRemarks Press Releases The Leader Board Op-Eds Videos SENATE RESOURCESRepublican Senators Committees Congressional Record Congress.gov Senate Floor Webcast ABOUT LEADER THUNExxsearchxMENUHomeTHE NEWSROOMThe Leader Board10.10.25Democrats’ Shutdown Causes Uncertainty for Military FamiliesAs Democrats Gloat About Their Government Shutdown, America’s Service Members and Their Families Face Uncertainty With Pay FOR THE FIRST TIME “IN MODERN TIMES,” AMERICA’S MILITARY SERVICE MEMBERS ARE SET TO GO WITHOUT PAY, ALL THANKS TO DEMOCRATS’ GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN“Many of our service members are serving in harm’s way at this very moment. All of them stand ready to rush into danger at a moment’s notice to protect the rest of us. They and their families make numerous sacrifices to serve our country. The idea – the very idea, Mr. President – that they won’t get a paycheck because Democrats can’t bring themselves to accept a clean, nonpartisan CR is beyond the pale.” – Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.)“It’s important to note that Democrats instigated this shutdown. They rejected a ‘clean’ funding proposal and demanded significant and expensive health care policy changes in exchange for their votes.” (Punchbowl News: AM: Schumer on the shutdown: 'Every day gets better for us' – 10/9/25)Senate Democrats have now voted against funding the government via a clean continuing resolution (CR) seven times, a CR the House has already passed. (H.R. 5371: Roll Call Vote #558 – 10/9/25; H.R. 5371: Roll Call Vote #551 – 10/8/25; H.R. 5371: Roll Call Vote #545 – 10/6/25; H.R. 5371: Roll Call Vote #543 – 10/3/25; H.R. 5371: Roll Call Vote #537 – 10/1/25; H.R. 5371: Roll Call Vote #535 – 9/30/25; H.R. 5371: Roll Call Vote #528 – 9/19/25)Military service members are set to miss their paycheck on October 15, “something that hasn’t happened on a large scale in modern times.” (CNN: Democrats say even missed paychecks for US troops won’t be enough to end shutdown alone – 10/9/25)“All active-duty members of the military will stay on the job during the shutdown.” (The Wall Street Journal: Federal Workers and Troops to Miss Paychecks Soon. Here’s What to Know. – 10/9/25)“Overall, there are about 2 million civilian government workers and 1.3 million active-duty members of the military.” (The Wall Street Journal: Federal Workers and Troops to Miss Paychecks Soon. Here’s What to Know. – 10/9/25)“While most Americans are largely removed from the direct repercussions of a shutdown, military families are facing sharp disruptions to lives already burdened with the significant sacrifice that comes with serving.” (CNN: Military families brace for missed paychecks as shutdown impacts are already accumulating – 10/8/25)THE UNCERTAINTY IN MILITARY PAY HAS IMPACTS ON FAMILIES AND SMALL BUSINESSES ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY“Fewer than 1 in 3 military families have $3,000 in savings, and nearly 1 in 4 struggles to put food on the table. This isn’t just a financial hardship — it’s destabilizing for households and military readiness alike.” –Kathy Roth-Douquet, CEO of Blue Star Families“Canceled school events, growing lines at military food pantries, accumulating fears tied to missed paychecks and the potential need for loans to stay afloat — US military families are already feeling the impacts of the government shutdown that is stretching into its second week and are preparing for worse days ahead.” (CNN: Military families brace for missed paychecks as shutdown impacts are already accumulating – 10/8/25)“The government shutdown has surpassed one week and has put federal workers and military families in a financial bind, with food pantries in some portions of the country experiencing 30% upticks in traffic.” (Military.com: Food Pantry Visits From Military Families Climb Over 30% Since Government Shutdown Began – 10/9/25)“One Jacksonville mother, who asked to remain anonymous, told News4JAX the uncertainty has left her family in crisis mode. ‘Definitely terrifying thinking in my head, oh God, how are we going to pay for our bills? How are we going to afford our rent? How are we going to pay for her formula, her diapers, everything’ she said… ‘Our military, they’re the ones that sign the government contract to go fight for our country,’ the Jacksonville mother said.” (News 4 Jax: Government shutdown leaves Jacksonville military families bracing for missed paychecks. Local banks are ready to help – 10/1/25)“When staff members arrived at their Armed Services YMCA food pantry distribution location near Fort Hood, Texas, at 5 a.m. Thursday, they found a line of military families stretched around the side of the building.” (Military Times: Military families seek out food assistance amid shutdown anxiety – 10/2/25)“‘That’s not happened ever. We had a 34% increase this week over past weeks,’ said Dorene Ocamb, ASYMCA chief brand and development officer. The doors at the organization’s Harker Heights location opened at 6:30 a.m. to distribute free food, but there were so many people, some had to wait in line outside for safety reasons, she said. ‘We expected an increase, but didn’t quite expect this,’ Ocamb said.” (Military Times: Military families seek out food assistance amid shutdown anxiety – 10/2/25)“Jaime Billert of New York, whose husband serves in the U.S. Coast Guard, told ABC News that she's already spoken to her children about setting priorities and cutting back on expenses, including dining out.” (ABC News: Shutdown spreads uncertainty from furloughed federal workers to broader America – 10/1/25)“Billert said she told her children, ‘Your dad's not getting paid right now. That's our sole source of income.’” (ABC News: Shutdown spreads uncertainty from furloughed federal workers to broader America – 10/1/25)“Linda Guadiano the owner of The Military Shop says their revenue relies 100 percent on military spending. ‘We do their name tapes, ID tags, name plates, we sell insignia,’ Guadiano said.” (Fox San Antonio: Local businesses brace for impact with military pay halted during government shutdown – 10/3/25)“With military members facing financial uncertainty Guadiano worries how they will stay afloat. ‘I’m not sure honestly, because the fact when they don’t have income that negatively impacts us because then we don’t have any income,’ Guadiano said. ‘So, I don’t think it can go very long.’” (Fox San Antonio: Local businesses brace for impact with military pay halted during government shutdown – 10/3/25)DESPITE THE PAIN THEIR GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN IS INFLICTING ON MILITARY FAMILIES, DEMOCRATS ARE CONTENT WITH STAYING THE COURSE, COMPLYING WITH THEIR FAR-LEFT BASE’S DEMANDS“Every day gets better for us.” – Senate Democrat Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.)“You know, I think [for] Democrats, it’s so far, so good.” – Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.)“Chuck Schumer ended the last shutdown standoff as a villain to Democrats outraged at his decision to surrender to Republicans. This time, the Senate minority leader has heeded the party base, sparking a showdown that has kept government agencies closed for eight days and counting. So far, his former critics are impressed.” (Politico: ‘He hasn’t surrendered yet’: Chuck Schumer’s critics are satisfied — for now – 10/9/25)“Left-wing group Indivisible is planning to hold a rally in DC on October 18, and have been adamant that Democratic lawmakers hold their position. ‘I’m telling every elected I talk to: millions will be out cheering you on, or they’ll be calling for new leadership,’ Indivisible’s co-executive director Ezra Levin told CNN.” (CNN: Democrats say even missed paychecks for US troops won’t be enough to end shutdown alone – 10/9/25)“The Democratic Party’s activist base demanded a shutdown because it wanted Democrats to do something to oppose Mr. Trump.” (The New York Times: Democrats Play the Hits on Health Care. But Fewer People Are Listening. – 10/9/25)According to CNN, “Democrats say even missed paychecks for US troops won’t be enough to end shutdown alone.” (CNN: Democrats say even missed paychecks for US troops won’t be enough to end shutdown alone – 10/9/25)“Congressional Democrats are privately preparing to hold their position in the shutdown standoff for several more weeks if Republicans do not agree to their health care demands – and not even a missed paycheck for US troops will force them to yield.” (CNN: Democrats say even missed paychecks for US troops won’t be enough to end shutdown alone – 10/9/25)“But Democratic leaders are confident their party will maintain its position through that deadline and longer if necessary, according to dozens of conversations with lawmakers and senior aides.” (CNN: Democrats say even missed paychecks for US troops won’t be enough to end shutdown alone – 10/9/25)This is all despite the fact that several Democrats understand that their shutdown is hurting people:“Half of them say, ‘Stand firm. Don’t give into them. Fight for our health care.’ The other ones are saying, ‘Hey, I got to pay my rent.’ It is not as one-sided as I thought it would be.” – Sen. John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.)“We have friends, we have family, we represent people that we know they're going to get hurt.” –Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.)PrintEmailTweetPreviousTHE NEWSROOMSENATE RESOURCESABOUT LEADER THUNEFacebookXInstagram
