New Mexico congressman and California colleague urge congressional action before Oct. 15 military pay deadline

Organ Mountain News report

WASHINGTON - U.S. Rep. Gabe Vasquez of New Mexico and Rep. Derek Tran of California are leading a letter urging House leadership to act quickly to ensure military personnel are paid during the ongoing federal government shutdown.

The letter, addressed to Speaker Mike Johnson and signed by 75 House Democrats, calls for action before Oct. 15 — the next scheduled payday for members of the Armed Forces. Without congressional approval, the lawmakers warned, nearly three million military families nationwide could miss paychecks, including about 22,000 active-duty and reserve personnel in New Mexico.

The full letter from U.S. Reps. Gabe Vasquez and Derek Tran urging Speaker Mike Johnson to guarantee military pay during the federal shutdown can be viewed below.

“Our troops serve and defend our country every day, and they deserve to be paid on time,” Vasquez said in a statement. “Congress must act quickly to prevent any disruption for military families.”

The letter aligns with the Pay Our Troops Act (H.R. 5401), a bipartisan measure that would ensure service members, civilian employees and contractors are paid during a government shutdown. A similar bill was enacted in 2013 to continue military pay while other federal operations were paused.

Vasquez, who serves on the House Armed Services Committee, has supported measures to improve pay, housing and access to health care for military families, including those serving in remote areas such as White Sands Missile Range.