By Jason Stverak
December 11 is two weeks before Christmas. It’s also the deadline for Congress to extend government funding. That means military families could head into the holidays wondering whether their next paycheck will arrive. I’d like someone in Washington to explain why that’s an acceptable way to treat people who serve this country.
It isn’t. They’ll report for duty. They’ll stand watch and answer the call, even when that means missing Christmas morning with their children. Congress needs to do its job, too. Pay our military on time, every time. And that absolutely includes the Coast Guard.
Think about the conversations a shutdown could force around a kitchen table in December. Can we still afford the trip home? Should we put off buying presents? What happens if the car needs repairs before the money arrives? Rent, groceries, childcare and heating bills don’t wait for a congressional agreement.
Shouldn’t Have to Explain
Military families already know what sacrifice looks like. They shouldn’t have to explain to their children that Christmas plans changed because Washington couldn’t finish its work. Promising back pay later doesn’t pay a bill today. And Christmas doesn’t move because Congress missed a deadline.
We’ve already seen too much uncertainty this year. The Department of Homeland Security shutdown lasted 76 days before ending April 30. The Coast Guard Foundation reported that part of the service’s civilian workforce received only a partial paycheck on February 27. People supporting essential missions had to worry about their own households while the standoff dragged on.
That’s why I keep raising the Coast Guard. It’s an armed service, but it ordinarily operates within Homeland Security. A defense funding agreement alone doesn’t necessarily protect Coast Guard pay. Congress needs to spell out those protections. Families shouldn’t fall through the cracks because their service sits in a different department.
Credit Unions Step Up
At the Defense Credit Union Council, we’ve seen credit unions prepare practical help when Washington leaves families facing a financial shortfall. Andrews Federal, Global, Keesler Federal and other credit unions show what that commitment looks like, through shutdown assistance and the everyday support military households depend on.
- Andrews Federal’s published shutdown resources include emergency loans up to $5,000, access to share certificate savings without early withdrawal penalties, and flexible loan payments. It also offers free financial counseling through GreenPath. Those options matter when someone needs to work through the bills and figure out what can wait.
- Keesler Federal opened registration for its Paycheck Relief program ahead of the threatened DHS funding lapse in February 2026. Its program provided for advances up to $6,000 per paycheck for eligible members, based on their recent direct deposits. That’s preparation with a purpose: helping families keep money available for necessities when their employer’s payroll is at risk.
- Global Credit Union offers live member support around the clock, every day of the year, including holidays, with international access for members overseas. That matters in a military household. Financial worries don’t follow business hours, and a deployed service member may be trying to help a spouse sort out a problem from halfway around the world.
A Response to be Proud Of
I’m proud of that response. A deferred payment can leave money for groceries. A payroll advance can help cover rent. A conversation with someone who understands military life can help a family make a plan instead of facing the uncertainty alone.
DCUC has backed that work with our Government Shutdown Resource Centerand repeated calls for reliable military pay. In January, I urged Senate leaders to protect service members from a funding lapse. In May, DCUC called for permanent Coast Guard pay protections. We shouldn’t have to keep making this case every time another deadline approaches.
And let’s be clear about what credit unions can do. Assistance can ease hardship. It cannot make every family whole. Programs have eligibility requirements, and a payroll advance generally must be repaid. No service member should have to borrow money because the government hasn’t delivered an earned paycheck.
Congress still has time to prevent that before Christmas. Extend funding beyond December 11. Enact permanent protections that keep military pay and allowances arriving during a lapse, explicitly including the Coast Guard and eligible National Guard and Reserve personnel. Provide the funding and authority to make those protections work.
If broader negotiations stall, pass a clean military pay bill. Leave unrelated political demands out of it. Republicans and Democrats can argue about spending without putting the people defending this country in the middle. Their families deserve that much basic respect.
What to Think About Before Heading Home
Before lawmakers head home for Christmas, I hope they think about the service member who’ll spend that day on duty and the spouse keeping things together at home. Those families have enough on their minds. They deserve to make holiday plans without refreshing a bank balance and wondering what Congress will do next.
At DCUC, “Serving ALL Who Serve” means standing with those families when they need us. We’ll keep doing that. Congress needs to stand with them, too. They’ve kept their commitment to this country. Congress must keep its. Protect military and Coast Guard pay before December 11. Stop playing politics with their paychecks and get it done.
Jason Stverak is chief advocacy officer with the Defense Credit Union Council.
