WASHINGTON, D.C. — On Wednesday, Representative Derek Kilmer of Washington called for an end to the government shutdown and for Congress to immediately provide pay to members of the Coast Guard.

Kilmer has co-sponsored three separate pieces of legislation that would protect the Coast Guard from the government shutdown. He is a co-sponsor of the Pay Our Coast Guard Act (H.R. 350), the Pay Our Coast Guard Parity Act (H.R. 367), and an appropriations bill (H.R. 421) that would fund the Coast Guard while the government is shutdown.

Yesterday, members of the Coast Guard did not receive their regularly scheduled paychecks because of the federal government shutdown, which, at 26th days, is the longest in the nation’s history.

According to a statement from Admiral Karl Schultz, the Commandant of the Coast Guard, this is the first time in the nation’s history that servicemembers in any branch of the U.S. Armed Forces have not been paid during a lapse in government appropriations.

There are more than 2,600 people serving in the Coast Guard in Washington and more than 45,000 nationwide who are now serving without pay in an Active, Reserve or civilian capacity