A bipartisan House bill introduced May 12 would guarantee retirees from the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps and NOAA Commissioned Corps receive paychecks during federal funding lapses, extending a protection already offered to all other uniformed services retirees.

The Pensions for Retired Uniformed Servicemembers Act would align USPHS and NOAA retirement payments with other uniformed services retired pay that’s already drawn from the Military Retirement Fund. Doing so would remove those payments from discretionary budgets, allowing them to continue during a federal shutdown.

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It’s the same protection that was expanded to include Coast Guard retirees in fiscal year 2023, made possible by language in the FY 2021 National Defense Authorization Act. And it comes after USPHS and NOAA retirees felt the effects of the recent funding lapse.

“All who serve our nation in uniform have earned their benefits, to include consistent and reliable retirement payments,” said Lt. Gen. Brian T. Kelly, USAF (Ret), MOAA president and CEO. “MOAA strongly supports this legislation, which takes an important step toward ensuring parity across all uniformed services.”

About 8,000 USPHS and NOAA retirees would benefit from the protections, according to a press release from Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), who introduced the bill alongside Reps. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) and Maxine Dexter (D-Ore.).

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Both USPHS and NOAA retirement payments are processed by the Coast Guard’s Pay and Personnel Center. But while Coast Guard retiree payments were secured by the Military Retirement Fund during the recent funding lapse, USPHS and NOAA retirees were dependent on the passage of budgets for the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Commerce, respectively, before funds for their retirement checks would become available.

“Our bipartisan legislation will mean these patriots will get the pensions they earned so they don’t go hungry or struggle to pay their rent or mortgage during a government shutdown,” Raskin said in the release.

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The Commissioned Officers Association of the United States Public Health Service also endorsed the legislation.

Both USPHS and NOAA officers “have answered the call in national emergencies and times of war, and they deserve a retirement structure that recognizes that service,” Bacon said in the release. “I’m pleased to co-lead the bipartisan Pensions for Uniformed Services Retirees Act with Rep. Raskin to ensure all members of the uniformed services are treated fairly.”