Representative Tran Fights to Protect Troops’ Pay During Shutdown

Washington, DC - U.S. Representatives Derek Tran (CA-45) and Gabe Vasquez (NM-02) led a push to support our military service members amidst the ongoing government shutdown, urging Speaker Johnson to bring Republican lawmakers back to work in Washington to pass a bill that ensures troops are paid by the looming October 15 deadline. If House Republicans fail to negotiate a bipartisan deal to fund the government by October 15, over 225,000active duty and reserve personnel in California will be forced to work without pay.

Read the full letter HERE.

"If Congress does not act by October 15th, nearlythree millionmilitary families will miss their next paycheck. That's unacceptable - our military families and troops deserve better," noted the letter to Speaker Johnson, which was co-signed by 75 other House Democrats.

"Our troops put their lives on the line for our freedom. They have our backs; Congress needs to have theirs. I'm proud to fight for our troops to get the pay that they have earned. It's not just the right thing to do - it's essential for the safety of our country," said Representative Tran. "As a Veteran, I saw firsthand that our troops already make far too little - often living paycheck to paycheck. Instead of working across the aisle to deliver better pay and benefits for our troops, Republicans have taken a paid vacation while the government is shut down, leaving nearly three million military families out in the cold. Our heroes shouldn't have to pay the price for typical Washington dysfunction. I'm proud to join Representative Gabe Vasquez to lead this important effort to get our troops the pay they have earned. I am eager to work across the aisle to reopen the government, protect health care, and stand up for the dedicated men and women who serve our country."

"Our troops selflessly serve and defend our country every single day, and they deserve to be paid on time for their work," said Representative Vasquez. "I'm calling on Speaker Johnson to do what's right for our military families and get Republicans back to Washington to vote to pay our servicemen and women. There's no excuse for inaction, because when it comes to paying our troops, there is no room for partisan politics."

As an Army Veteran himself, Representative Tran is committed to delivering for those who have committed their lives to serving this country. His first piece of legislation, the Protect Veteran Jobs Act, supports the livelihoods of the Veterans who were wrongfully removed from their civil service positions and allows them to continue giving back to their country as part of the federal workforce.

On September 17, Tran's bipartisan Delivering Digitally for our Veterans Act, which aims to streamline the administration of Veterans' educational benefits through the G.I. Bill, unanimously passed the House. Tran is also an original cosponsor of H.R. 1932, the bipartisan Pay Our Troops Act of 2025, which would ensure that service members receive their pay on time during the federal shutdown. Tran has also been a vocal advocateof Orange County's first-ever Veteran cemetery at Gypsum Canyon, and signed onto two letters urging federal support for its construction.

###

Congressman Derek Tran represents California's 45th Congressional District. Serving his first term in Congress, Congressman Tran is a member of the House Armed Services Committee and House Small Business Committee, where he is Ranking Member of the Oversight, Investigations, and Regulations Subcommittee. Congressman Tran is the son of Vietnamese refugees, a Veteran, and fought for consumers as an attorney before entering Congress.