WASHINGTON — As more than 42,000 members of the U.S. Coast Guard work without pay, due to the government shutdown over whether to authorize $5.7 billion in funding for President Donald Trump's proposed border wall, lawmakers are trying to figure out how to get them their money.
On Wednesday, Florida Sen. Rick Scott announced he would co-sponsor the widely-supported Pay Our Coast Guard Act to make sure U.S. military service members wouldn't go without a salary due to a dispute among politicians in Washington, D.C.
Sen. Marco Rubio signed onto the legislation more than a week ago.
The bill has bipartisan support, with a mix of Democrats and Republicans advocating for its passage.
Coast Guard members missed their paycheck earlier this week and became the only members of the U.S. military to work for free as shutdown negotiations continue to stall.
“Our men and women risk their lives every day to protect our freedom and our way of life," Sen. Scott said. "Congress has failed to pass a budget and keep [the] government funded; the men and women of our Coast Guard shouldn’t be punished for the dysfunction of Washington."
The bill would affect 4,879 active duty Coast Guard members in Florida, where the military branch works to prevent drug and human trafficking while protecting the country and keeping boaters safe.
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