A bipartisan coalition of lawmakers has introduced new legislation to ensure that civilian and military workers at the nation’s public shipyards continue to receive pay during federal government shutdowns.
The Pay Our Public Shipyard Workers Act, introduced by Reps. Jen Kiggans (R-Va.), Maggie Goodlander (D-N.H.), and Chris Pappas (D-N.H.), with Reps. Jill Tokuda (D-Hawaii) and Emily Randall (D-Wash.) as original cosponsors, seeks to protect the paychecks of shipyard employees who maintain and modernize the Navy’s fleet during funding lapses.
The bill would cover workers at Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Portsmouth, Va.; Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Kittery, Maine; Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility, Bremerton, Wash.; and Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility, Hawaii.
Rep. Kiggans, who represents the Norfolk shipyard region, emphasized the importance of protecting the pay of the workforce that supports U.S. naval readiness.
“These men and women are the backbone of our defense industrial base—keeping our ships repaired, modernized, and ready to answer the call at a moment’s notice,” Kiggans said. “They deserve the certainty of a paycheck for the critical work they perform, regardless of political gridlock in Washington.”
According to a press release issued by Rep. Kiggans office, if enacted, the Pay Our Public Shipyard Workers Act would provide a reliable funding mechanism to ensure uninterrupted pay for thousands of shipyard employees during any lapse in federal appropriations. Lawmakers say the legislation underscores a shared bipartisan commitment to supporting the workforce that sustains the Navy’s operational readiness and national security.
