Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis is calling on President Trump to prevent 41,000 Coast Guard members from missing paychecks as Senate gridlock threatens to leave America’s maritime defenders without pay during critical missions.
Story Snapshot
- Rep. Malliotakis (R-NY) urges Trump to intervene as 41,000 Coast Guard members face missed paychecks amid FY2026 funding disputes
- H.R.5401, the Pay Our Troops Act of 2026, passed the House but remains stalled in Senate deliberations
- Coast Guard uniquely vulnerable as DHS agency excluded from DoD continuing resolutions, echoing 2018-2019 35-day shutdown crisis
- Malliotakis rallied veterans at Fort Hamilton in Brooklyn, pressuring Senate to act before funding lapse threatens over $500 million in monthly payroll
Senate Gridlock Threatens Coast Guard Families
The U.S. Coast Guard faces an imminent funding crisis as Senate delays on FY2026 appropriations threaten paychecks for approximately 41,000 active-duty service members. Representative Nicole Malliotakis organized veteran rallies at U.S. Army Garrison Fort Hamilton in Brooklyn during February 2026, directly appealing to President Trump for executive action. Unlike Department of Defense personnel typically protected by continuing resolutions, Coast Guard members fall under the Department of Homeland Security, leaving them uniquely exposed to congressional budget battles. This bureaucratic distinction has created repeated vulnerabilities for maritime defenders tasked with search-and-rescue operations, drug interdiction, and port security.
Rep. Nicole Malliotakis urges Trump to intervene as 41,000 Coast Guard members set to miss paychecks https://t.co/5BFGkO4FaT pic.twitter.com/umSoztagIa
— New York Post (@nypost) February 21, 2026
Pay Our Troops Act Stalls Despite House Approval
The House of Representatives introduced H.R.5401, the Pay Our Troops Act of 2026, in January 2026 to isolate military compensation from broader appropriations fights. The legislation passed the House with bipartisan support, specifically ensuring continuing appropriations for Coast Guard salaries during funding gaps. However, the bill remains stalled in Senate deliberations as of February 2026, with partisan disputes over broader spending priorities blocking passage. Malliotakis stated during her Brooklyn rally that “We cannot let our heroes go without pay—Senate must act now,” framing the impasse as Senate obstruction of non-negotiable military support. This mirrors legislative patterns from 2019 when similar pay protection measures succeeded only after prolonged government shutdowns.
Historical Precedent Warns of Severe Consequences
The Coast Guard endured a devastating 35-day shutdown during 2018-2019 under the previous Trump administration, operating without pay while maintaining operational readiness. Military analysts documented that crisis triggered a 20 percent voluntary separation rate as service members faced financial hardship despite fulfilling life-threatening duties. The 2019 shutdown cost an estimated 11 billion dollars in lost productivity across federal agencies according to Heritage Foundation analysis. Current FY2026 disputes echo those patterns, with continuing resolutions covering some DoD branches while excluding Coast Guard specifics due to its DHS classification. Short-term impacts include morale deterioration and delayed enlistments, while long-term consequences threaten recruitment pipelines and erode congressional credibility among military families.
Trump’s Intervention Could Break Senate Deadlock
President Trump holds executive authority to influence DHS funding directives and apply public pressure on Senate leadership to advance H.R.5401. Malliotakis’s direct appeal leverages Trump’s “America First” commitment to military personnel, positioning presidential intervention as consistent with campaign promises to service members. The over 500 million dollars in monthly Coast Guard payroll at risk represents tangible harm to families already stretched by inflation from previous fiscal mismanagement. Trump could deploy veto threats on unrelated legislation or emergency declarations to compel Senate action, tools successfully used during prior appropriations standoffs. The standoff places Senate Republicans in position to champion military support while highlighting Democratic budget priorities that exclude explicit Coast Guard protections.
Operational Readiness at Stake Beyond Paychecks
Beyond compensation concerns, funding lapses disrupt Coast Guard missions critical to national security and disaster response. The service’s dual military-law enforcement role amplifies consequences during hurricane seasons and border security operations, with operational pauses affecting search-and-rescue capabilities and port inspections. Defense contractors face cascading delays when Coast Guard procurement freezes, setting precedents for future continuing resolutions that prioritize pay over full operational funding. The 41,000 affected personnel represent not just service members but entire families in military communities like those surrounding Fort Hamilton, where Malliotakis rallied veterans to elevate grassroots pressure. This situation demonstrates how congressional dysfunction directly undermines military readiness while demanding families shoulder the burden of political brinkmanship over fiscal responsibility.
Sources:
H.R.5401 – Pay Our Troops Act of 2026, 119th Congress
Malliotakis, Veterans Gather at NYC Military Installations Urging Senate to End Gridlock
