H.R.8029 — Pay Our Homeland Defenders Act
House Roll Call
H.R.8029
| Bill | H.R.8029 — Pay Our Homeland Defenders Act |
|---|---|
| Vote question | On Motion to Recommit |
| Vote type | Yea-and-Nay |
| Result | Failed |
| Totals | Yea 210 / Nay 215 / Present 0 / Not Voting 7 |
| Party | Yea | Nay | Present | Not Voting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| R | 0 | 214 | 0 | 3 |
| D | 210 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| I | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Research Brief
On Motion to Recommit
Bill Analysis
The Pay Our Homeland Defenders Act (H.R. 8029, 119th Congress) is a targeted appropriations and pay‑continuity measure designed to ensure uninterrupted compensation and core support for homeland security and related defense personnel during a lapse in regular appropriations (e.g., a government shutdown).
Core Purpose and Scope
The bill authorizes and appropriates funds, or deems existing appropriations available, to continue paying:
- U.S. military personnel engaged in homeland defense missions.
- Federal law enforcement and security personnel with homeland security responsibilities (e.g., DHS components such as CBP, ICE, TSA, Secret Service; potentially certain DOJ and other agencies with designated homeland roles).
- Other designated “homeland defenders” whose work is critical to border security, counterterrorism, transportation security, and protection of critical infrastructure.
Funding and Authorities
- Provides explicit authority for the obligation and expenditure of funds for pay and certain related operations during any period when regular appropriations have lapsed.
- May function similarly to a limited, automatic continuing appropriation for covered pay and essential support activities, overriding Anti‑Deficiency Act constraints for those purposes.
- Funding is drawn from the Treasury as necessary, up to specified limits or as otherwise provided in underlying authorizations/appropriations for the covered agencies.
Programs and Agencies Affected
- Department of Homeland Security components (e.g., CBP, ICE, TSA, Coast Guard, Secret Service).
- Potentially selected DOD, DOJ, and other federal entities with formally designated homeland defense or homeland security missions, as defined in the bill.
- Does not broadly fund all government operations; it is narrowly focused on pay and mission‑critical homeland security functions.
Beneficiaries and Regulated Parties
- Direct beneficiaries: federal employees and uniformed service members performing homeland defense/security duties, and their families, who avoid pay interruptions.
- Indirect beneficiaries: the general public, through sustained border, transportation, and domestic security operations.
- No new regulatory burdens on private entities are created.
Timelines
- Takes effect upon enactment.
- Operates automatically during any funding gap affecting covered agencies, and remains in force for the duration and conditions specified in the bill (e.g., until regular appropriations or a broader continuing resolution are enacted).
Yea (210)
J
Jason Crow
L
Lloyd Doggett
J
John Garamendi
J
John Mannion
L
Lucy McBath
C
Christian Menefee
E
Eric Swalwell
R
Rashida Tlaib
N
Nydia Velázquez
D
Debbie Wasserman Schultz
Nay (215)
K
Ken Calvert
S
Scott Franklin
L
Lisa McClain
J
John Rutherford
D
David Schweikert
P
Pete Sessions
