REMARKS: Senator Coons pushes to ensure pay for military personnel, intel community continues during shutdown

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) went to the Senate floor today to introduce and ask for unanimous consent to immediately pass his Armed Forces Pay Act, legislation that would ensure military personnel continue to receive pay during the ongoing government shutdown. Senator Coons is the Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense.

"What is it that keeps our nation secure? It is millions of members of our armed forces, active-duty reserves, National Guard, civilians supporting them, the Department of Defense, the Coast Guard, the intelligence agencies. They're keeping us safe now, like all federal employees, not knowing when they'll get another paycheck," Senator Coons said on the Senate floor.

After introducing the Armed Forces Pay Act, Senator Coons sought unanimous consent for its immediate passage. The request was objected to by Senator Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.). Following the objection, Senator Coons also criticized the broader lack of progress on the appropriations process along with Republicans' recent efforts to raise costs and take away health insurance coverage for millions of Americans.

"There's a stark contrast between the real progress we're making on appropriations and the lack of progress on addressing the core issue of 'Can Americans afford their health care?'" said Senator Coons.

"Part of what has got us to this moment is a vote earlier this year in the Big, Beautiful Bill in July to destroy health care for millions of Americans. We need to find a path forward, towards ensuring that millions of Americans do not lose insurance through the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid, something that will raise insurance costs for everyone, that will increase E.R. wait times in my state and every other," he added.

Senator Coons concluded his remarks by urging both parties to work together to reopen the government and find solutions on health care.

The full text of the bill is available here.

A video of Senator Coons' full remarks is available here.

A transcript of Senator Coons' remarks is below:

Senator Coons: Mr. President, I have a brief question for this body before I proceed to my motion.

What is it that keeps our nation secure?

It is millions of members of our armed forces, active-duty reserves, National Guard, civilians supporting them, the Department of Defense, the Coast Guard, the intelligence agencies. They're keeping us safe now, like all federal employees, not knowing when they'll get another paycheck.

Our military is less than one percent of our nation. That's how many people sign on the dotted line - up to and including their lives - to keep us safe. They put their lives on the line to secure liberty and security. And I am grateful to the thousands serving today at Dover Air Force Base, in the Delaware National Guard, and throughout our armed forces. They and their families deserve the same devotion to them that they are providing to us.

I come from a military family. My father, brother, sister-in-law, uncles all served in the Army, and my father long said he first really understood what it means to be an American when he was responsible for others and others' lives when deployed.

Taking care of them is our sacred obligation. So, while we keep fighting for better health care, more affordable health care for all Americans, my bill will pay our armed forces now. It will pay active duty, reserve, National Guard, Coast Guard, civilians at the Pentagon, and intelligence agencies, and give those who keep us safe, often at great sacrifice, a small piece of security in return.

So, Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of Senate Bill 3079, introduced earlier today. That the bill be considered read three times and passed, and the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.

[Senator McConnell objects]

Senator Coons: Mr. President, I want to convey my thanks, my gratitude to the chair of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, my colleague and friend from Kentucky - but - we and our staff have had a genuinely constructive and positive process in appropriations this year. Frankly, overall, the Senate Appropriations Committee has worked well. We have passed out of committee a significant number of major bills by big bipartisan margins. Twenty-six to three, in the case of our bill and the Labor, Health, and Human Services Bill.

But there's a stark contrast between the real progress we're making on appropriations and the lack of progress on addressing the core issue of "can Americans afford their health care?"

Of course, I want to move ahead and appropriate as my colleague from Kentucky has indicated. Of course, we need to do our job and appropriate for this body to carry out and continue its core Article I responsibility. But part of what has got us to this moment is a vote earlier this year on the Big, Beautiful Bill in July to destroy health care for millions of Americans. We need to find a path forward towards ensuring that millions of Americans do not lose insurance through the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid, something that will raise insurance costs for everyone, that will increase E.R. wait times in my state and every other.

This Saturday, 20 million Americans will see how much their premiums go up, and if the calls that come in to my colleagues are anything like the calls I'm getting, there will then be an accelerated motion towards resolving this issue and moving forward with appropriations.

I'll close by just citing one conversation I had yesterday. I spoke with a small business owner from Delaware. Her name is Jan. She is a stage four cancer survivor. She is a small business owner. She told me yesterday without the Affordable Care Act, she would have died 10 years ago because insurance would have dropped her. And if her rates double, she will need to close her business of 30 years.

This is one of many stories, of entrepreneurs, of families, of veterans, of servicemembers, of constituents who reached out to me. There is an urgency about reopening the government, yes, I agree, and an urgency about finding a path forward on health care. We should be negotiating both now.

Thank you, Mr. President. With that, I yield the floor.