I 

112TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1551 

To prioritize certain Government obligations for continued payment in the 

event that the statutory debt limit is reached, to appropriate funds 

for the pay and allowances of all members of the Armed Forces, and 

for those civilian employees of the Department of Defense and the 

Coast Guard serving in a combat zone, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

APRIL 14, 2011 

Mr. HUNTER introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Appropriations, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in 

each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

A BILL 

To prioritize certain Government obligations for continued 

payment in the event that the statutory debt limit is 

reached, to appropriate funds for the pay and allowances 

of all members of the Armed Forces, and for those 

civilian employees of the Department of Defense and 

the Coast Guard serving in a combat zone, and for 

other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

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1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Guarantee Paychecks 

3 for America’s Military Families Act’’. 

4 SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 

5 In this section: 

6 (1) The term ‘‘Armed Forces’’ means the 

7 Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast 

8 Guard, including reserve components thereof. 

9 (2) The term ‘‘combat zone’’ has the meaning 

10 given that term in section 112(c)(2) of the Internal 

11 Revenue Code of 1986. 

12 (3) The term ‘‘contingency operation’’ has the 

13 meaning given that term in section 101(a)(13) of 

14 title 10, United States Code. 

15 (4) The term ‘‘military personnel accounts’’ 

16 mean the military personnel, reserve personnel, and 

17 National Guard personnel accounts of the Depart18 ment of Defense, generally title I of an annual De19 partment of Defense appropriations Act, and the 

20 corresponding accounts for the Department of 

21 Homeland Security used to provide pay and allow22 ances for members of the Coast Guard. 

23 (5) The term ‘‘pay and allowances’’ means 

24 basic pay, bonuses and special pay, allowances and 

25 any other forms of compensation available for mem26 bers of the Armed Forces under title 37, United 

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1 States Code, or otherwise paid from military per2 sonnel accounts. 

3 (6) The term ‘‘period of lapsed appropriations’’ 

4 means any period during which appropriations are 

5 not available due to the absence of the timely enact6 ment of any Act or joint resolution (whether a gen7 eral appropriations Act or and Act or joint resolu8 tion making continuing appropriations) appro9 priating funds for the payment of the pay and allow10 ances of members of the Armed Forces or civilian 

11 employees of the Department of Defense and the 

12 Coast Guard. 

13 SEC. 3. PRIORITY GIVEN TO PAYMENT OF CERTAIN GOV14 ERNMENT OBLIGATIONS IN EVENT DEBT 

15 LIMIT IS REACHED. 

16 In the event that the debt of the United States Gov17 ernment, as defined in section 3101 of title 31, United 

18 States Code, reaches the statutory limit, the following obli19 gations shall take priority over all other obligations in20 curred by the Government of the United States: 

21 (1) The obligation of the Secretary of the 

22 Treasury provided in section 3123 of title 31, 

23 United States Code, to pay with legal tender the 

24 principal and interest on debt held by the public. 

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1 (2) The obligation of the Secretary of Defense 

2 (and the Secretary of Homeland Security in the case 

3 of the Coast Guard) to pay members of the Armed 

4 Forces the pay and allowances earned under title 37, 

5 United States Code, and other compensation paid 

6 from the military personnel accounts. 

7 (3) The obligations incurred by the Secretary of 

8 Defense (and the Secretary of Homeland Security in 

9 the case of the Coast Guard) to carry out a contin10 gency operation (as defined in section 101(a)(13) of 

11 title 10, United States Code), including the pay 

12 earned by civilian employees of the Department of 

13 Defense and the Coast Guard serving in a combat 

14 zone (as defined in section 112(c)(2) of the Internal 

15 Revenue Code of 1986). 

16 SEC. 4. PERMANENT APPROPRIATION OF FUNDS TO PRO17 VIDE PAY AND ALLOWANCES FOR MEMBERS 

18 OF THE ARMED FORCES AND CERTAIN CIVIL19 IAN EMPLOYEES DURING PERIOD OF LAPSED 

20 APPROPRIATIONS. 

21 For any period of lapsed appropriations, there are ap22 propriated, out of any moneys in the Treasury not other23 wise appropriated, to the Secretary of Defense (and the 

24 Secretary of Homeland Security in the case of the Coast 

25 Guard) such amounts as may be necessary to allow the 

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1 Secretary of Defense (and the Secretary of Homeland Se2 curity in the case of the Coast Guard) to provide, during 

3 the period of lapsed appropriations and without interrup4 tion— 

5 (1) pay and allowances to members of armed 

6 forces, including reserve components thereof, who 

7 perform active service during the period of lapsed 

8 appropriations; and 

9 (2) pay to civilian employees of the Department 

10 of Defense and the Coast Guard serving in a combat 

11 zone. 

Æ 

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