I 

113TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 342 

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 

JANUARY 22, 2013 

Mr. HUNTER (for himself, Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania, Mr. FRANKS of 

Arizona, Mr. TURNER, Mr. JONES, Mr. YODER, Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania, Mr. CONAWAY, Mrs. HARTZLER, Mr. COBLE, Mr. CULBERSON, Mr. 

BENISHEK, Mr. GOWDY, Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois, Mr. ROONEY, Mr. 

NUGENT, Mr. WESTMORELAND, Mr. GRIMM, Mr. GRIFFIN of Arkansas, 

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina, Mr. PALAZZO, and Mr. COFFMAN) 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. 


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

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

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

5 for America’s Military Families Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 

7 In this section: 

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

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

10 Guard, including reserve components thereof. 

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

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

13 Revenue Code of 1986. 

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

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

16 title 10, United States Code. 

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

18 mean the military personnel, reserve personnel, and 

19 National Guard personnel accounts of the Depart20 ment of Defense, generally title I of an annual De21 partment of Defense appropriations Act, and the 

22 corresponding accounts for the Department of 

23 Homeland Security used to provide pay and allow24 ances for members of the Coast Guard. 


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

2 basic pay, bonuses and special pay, allowances and 

3 any other forms of compensation available for mem4 bers of the Armed Forces under title 37, United 

5 States Code, or otherwise paid from military per6 sonnel accounts. 

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

8 means any period during which appropriations are 

9 not available due to the absence of the timely enact10 ment of any Act or joint resolution (whether a gen11 eral appropriations Act or an Act or joint resolution 

12 making continuing appropriations) appropriating 

13 funds for the payment of the pay and allowances of 

14 members of the Armed Forces or civilian employees 

15 of the Department of Defense and the Coast Guard. 

16 SEC. 3. PRIORITY GIVEN TO PAYMENT OF CERTAIN GOV17 ERNMENT OBLIGATIONS IN EVENT DEBT 

18 LIMIT IS REACHED. 

19 In the event that the debt of the United States Gov20 ernment, as defined in section 3101 of title 31, United 

21 States Code, reaches the statutory limit, the following obli22 gations shall take priority over all other obligations in23 curred by the Government of the United States: 

24 (1) The obligation of the Secretary of the 

25 Treasury provided in section 3123 of title 31, 


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1 United States Code, to pay with legal tender the 

2 principal and interest on debt held by the public. 

3 (2) The obligation of the Secretary of Defense 

4 (and the Secretary of Homeland Security in the case 

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

6 Forces the pay and allowances earned under title 37, 

7 United States Code, and other compensation paid 

8 from the military personnel accounts. 

9 (3) The obligations incurred by the Secretary of 

10 Defense (and the Secretary of Homeland Security in 

11 the case of the Coast Guard) to carry out a contin12 gency operation (as defined in section 101(a)(13) of 

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

14 earned by civilian employees of the Department of 

15 Defense and the Coast Guard serving in a combat 

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

17 Revenue Code of 1986). 

18 SEC. 4. PERMANENT APPROPRIATION OF FUNDS TO PRO19 VIDE PAY AND ALLOWANCES FOR MEMBERS 

20 OF THE ARMED FORCES AND CERTAIN CIVIL21 IAN EMPLOYEES DURING PERIOD OF LAPSED 

22 APPROPRIATIONS. 

23 For any period of lapsed appropriations, there are ap24 propriated, out of any moneys in the Treasury not other25 wise appropriated, to the Secretary of Defense (and the 


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1 Secretary of Homeland Security in the case of the Coast 

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

3 Secretary of Defense (and the Secretary of Homeland Se4 curity in the case of the Coast Guard) to provide, during 

5 the period of lapsed appropriations and without interrup6 tion— 

7 (1) pay and allowances to members of armed 

8 forces, including reserve components thereof, who 

9 perform active service during the period of lapsed 

10 appropriations; and 

11 (2) pay to civilian employees of the Department 

12 of Defense and the Coast Guard serving in a combat 

13 zone. 

Æ 


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