HUNT VALLEY, Md. (TNND) — Vice President JD Vance said Tuesday that members of the military will continue receiving their paychecks this week.
He told reporters that the administration thinks it can pay troops on Friday, although some government workers and programs will not receive any funds.
“We believe that we can continue to pay the troops on Friday,” Politico quoted Vance as saying.
“Unfortunately, we’re not going to be able to pay everybody, because we’ve been handed a very bad hand by the Democrats.”
The Defense Department is using about $8 billion in research and development funds to pay servicemembers as the government shutdown continues. Democrats and Republicans have been unable to agree on legislation to fund the government and end the shutdown, which started on Oct. 1.
Vance reportedly noted that Democrats’ actions during the shutdown have led to layoffs in the federal workforce. Democratic senators have voted against legislation they say doesn’t address their healthcare concerns, even though the bills would have funded the government.
“There are limitations on all these funds. There are limitations on how you can use them,” the vice president said, according to Politico. “Obviously, it’s a limited pot of money, so even if you use them for one thing, that means you can’t use them for another.”
The White House is trying to keep “as much open as possible,” including the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program, or SNAP, Vance reportedly added. The program provides food benefits to low-income families.
Democratic senators have criticized the Trump administration for not administering SNAP. Sen. Ben Ray Luján, D-N.M., said in a statement on Monday that the Agriculture Department is illegally withholding funds for the program. The department said in a memo published by Axios on Friday that it couldn’t run SNAP without congressional appropriations, but it reportedly noted in its shutdown plan last month that the program could continue, “subject to the availability of funding.”
Other Democratic senators have expressed concern over the Trump administration’s priorities during the shutdown. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said on the floor on Tuesday that President Donald Trump ordered the Agriculture Department to stop running SNAP and has, with other Republicans, avoided negotiating on healthcare.
“Republicans are the party in charge. They hold the White House and both chambers in Congress. Americans know that,” Schumer said. “They know the onus is on the majority party to govern and to work with the other side to get things done. But today, Americans look at this Republican party and see a majority refusing to do its job.”
Have questions, concerns or tips? Send them to Ray at rjlewis@sbgtv.com.