Representative Aaron Bean (R-FL) wants to ensure that critical government personnel receive their salaries during a government shutdown by cosponsoring another bill for essential Department of Homeland Security (DHS) personnel.
Specifically, Rep. Bean's Pay Our Homeland Defenders Act of 2026 ensures the continued payment of USCIS Immigration Officers, ICE Deportation Officers, TSA Federal Air Marshals, Border Patrol agents, Secret Service agents, and the personnel in charge of distributing those wages.
Like the Pay Our Troops Act, salaries for essential DHS personnel will be drawn from unappropriated Treasury funds during any government shutdown between Fiscal Year 2026 and 2027 if necessary, or until January 1st, 2027, unless Congress acts sooner.
"Our TSA agents, Border Patrol officers, ICE agents, and DHS law enforcement personnel show up every day to keep our country safe," Rep. Bean said in a statement. "Their commitment doesn't pause for a government shutdown—and their paychecks shouldn't either."
He praised the effort for guaranteeing that "these frontline defenders are paid for the essential work they do, despite the Senate's inability to pass a spending bill."
The legislation marks the third bill Rep. Bean has introduced to ensure critical government employees continue to receive their salaries since the shutdown began last week.
The first, introduced shortly after the shutdown began is the Aviation Funding Stability Act of 2025, which similarly protects the pay of critical air traffic controllers and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) personnel during shutdowns by drawing funds from the Airport and Airway Trust Fund, which is sourced from various taxes, including airline tickets and fuel, that have not yet been allocated to pay FAA personnel and air traffic controllers for up to 30 days after a government shutdown.
Other Florida Republicans have vowed to forfeit their own Congressional salaries until the shutdown ends as a gesture of solidarity.
