Ensuring Pay for Our Military Act

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Appropriations.

Congressional Research Service

Official summary

Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Sep 24, 2013

Ensuring Pay for Our Military Act - Requires the Secretary of the Treasury, during a funding gap impacting the Armed Forces, to make available to the Secretary of Defense (DOD), and the Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) in the case of the Coast Guard, out of any amounts in the general fund of the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, such amounts as necessary to continue to provide pay and allowances to members of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard, including reserve components, who perform active service during the funding gap. Allows for the provision of such pay and allowances, at the discretion of the DOD Secretary, to: (1) DOD civilian personnel providing support to such members, and (2) DOD contractor personnel providing direct support to such members.

Defines "funding gap" as any period after the beginning of a fiscal year for which interim or full-year appropriations for the personnel accounts of the Armed Forces for that fiscal year have not been enacted.

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People & committees

Who introduced it

Sen. Heller, Dean [R-NV] · R–NV

Committees

Appropriations Committee

0 cosponsorship records, including any withdrawals

Legislative record

Actions

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Sep 24, 2013
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Appropriations.
Sep 24, 2013
Introduced in Senate

Primary sources

Bill text & related measures

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Introduced in Senate · Sep 24, 2013 Formatted Text PDF Formatted XML

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Source last updated: Aug 12, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.

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Objective

Analyze S.1543 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

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Discuss S.1543, 113th Congress: Ensuring Pay for Our Military Act

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/senate-bill/1543

Text version to examine: Introduced in Senate · 2013-09-24.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/113/bills/s1543/BILLS-113s1543is.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-08-12T18:36:38Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Analyze S.1543 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

Fairness and public impact

Progressive lens

Examine S.1543 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

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Discuss S.1543, 113th Congress: Ensuring Pay for Our Military Act

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/senate-bill/1543

Text version to examine: Introduced in Senate · 2013-09-24.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/113/bills/s1543/BILLS-113s1543is.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-08-12T18:36:38Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine S.1543 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

Institutions and government scope

Conservative lens

Examine S.1543 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

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Discuss S.1543, 113th Congress: Ensuring Pay for Our Military Act

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/senate-bill/1543

Text version to examine: Introduced in Senate · 2013-09-24.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/113/bills/s1543/BILLS-113s1543is.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-08-12T18:36:38Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine S.1543 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

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Liberty lens

Examine S.1543 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss S.1543, 113th Congress: Ensuring Pay for Our Military Act

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/senate-bill/1543

Text version to examine: Introduced in Senate · 2013-09-24.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/113/bills/s1543/BILLS-113s1543is.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-08-12T18:36:38Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine S.1543 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.