Military pay resumes amid government shutdown as layoffs mount

It’s a crucial payday for U.S. service members — and a moment of relief for military families caught up in the ongoing government shutdown.

(CNN)- It’s a crucial payday for U.S. service members — and a moment of relief for military families caught up in the ongoing government shutdown.

President Donald Trump confirmed that troops are receiving paychecks after funds were reallocated from the Pentagon’s research and development budget. The White House says the move ensures that service members continue to be paid despite stalled negotiations in Congress.

Monica Bassett, founder of Food Pantry for Military Families, said a resolution needs to be made. “That mental burden on a military family is not something that they should be carrying when their service members are still going to work every single day.”

In Congress, bipartisan support is growing for a standalone bill to pay military personnel during the shutdown, but so far the measure has not passed.

Elsewhere, two major federal unions are taking legal action to stop layoffs of government employees affected by the shutdown. They’re asking a federal judge in San Francisco for an emergency injunction to protect workers who have already been dismissed.

Everett Kelley, president of one of the unions involved, said, “I think that this is absolutely un-American to have such actions taken against very patriotic employees.”

According to a court filing from the Trump administration, roughly 4,100 federal workers have been laid off so far — about a quarter of them from the Department of Health and Human Services.

Sen. Roger Marshall, a Republican from Kansas, said, “The government has grown too big.”

Other federal employees deemed “essential” continue to work without pay. Air traffic controllers received partial paychecks this week that only covered the hours they worked before the shutdown began.

Nick Daniels, president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, said, “Their focus is now on, ‘When I get off my shift today, do I have to go and drive Uber tonight?’”

As the shutdown continues, pressure is mounting on lawmakers to find a solution that brings relief to federal workers and military families alike.