AUSN has signed on to a joint letter to reintroduce S. 545, the Pay Our Coast Guard Act. The legislation would make continuous appropriations for Coast Guard pay during a government shutdown. While appropriations for the Defense Department have already been signed into law, the Coast Guard — which falls under the Department of Homeland Security — has been severely impacted by the shutdown, with 42,000 members of the service not expected to see paychecks for weeks.