A Michigan restaurant owner who is irate over the government shutdown is offering Coast Guard members free food.
He claimed that lawmakers “don’t even think about these people.”
Durm announced the offer on Facebook on Dec. 27.
“Good evening Saint Ignace. Java Joe just realized the Coast Guard is not being paid during this government shutdown therefore Java Joe’s will give any member of the Coast Guard a free breakfast,” Durm wrote.
A number of Facebook users praised the move.
Many said they'd be going to the restaurant after Durm’s announcement to show their support for his offer to the Coast Guard.
Partial Shutdown
The government shutdown is affecting 25 percent of the federal government, or about 15 percent of the federal workforce.Democrat leaders, most of whom voted for funding for a border barrier in 2006 and 2013, have said they would not vote for a budget that includes wall funding. Republican Senate leaders haven’t brought a budget approved by the House to a vote.
Coast Guard Funding
The Coast Guard was the only military department affected by the partial government shutdown and members were facing a potential pay delay.“Generally, the Coast Guard lacks the authority to pay its members during a lapse in appropriations. The circumstances of this lapse are unique because of the timeline of the lapse in relation to the military pay process. Ultimately, extensive research and legal analysis between the Coast Guard, DHS, and OMB determined the Coast Guard has the authority to execute the remainder of pay and allowances for December,” the blog stated.
The one-time action did not guarantee a paycheck on Jan. 15.
“President Trump personally urged his team to find a solution that would allow the administration to make this week’s $75 million payroll,” officials told the outlet. “The president is trying to make the shutdown as painless as possible for workers, and this case proved it,” said one official.