River Bend Times

Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks, who represents Iowa’s 1st district in the U.S. Congress and is a 24-year Army veteran, is advocating for legislation to ensure military personnel continue to receive pay during the ongoing government shutdown.

"Thousands of military families are living paycheck to paycheck while selflessly defending our country and they deserve to be paid to support themselves and their families," Miller-Meeks said. "Democrats have abandoned the men and women who defend our freedom, all to fund healthcare for illegal immigrants and to add $1.5 trillion in new spending."

According to Miller-Meeks, Democratic lawmakers have declined six times to reopen the government and have indicated that missed paychecks for service members would not be enough reason on its own to end the shutdown. In response, she has co-sponsored the Pay Our Troops Act, which aims to guarantee timely payment for military personnel during any lapse in government funding.

The proposed Pay Our Troops Act would provide continuing appropriations for military pay whenever full-year or interim appropriations for fiscal year 2026 are not enacted, such as during a government shutdown. The bill is also supported by Iowa Representatives Zach Nunn, Randy Feenstra, and Ashley Hinson.

Miller-Meeks has represented Iowa’s 1st District since 2021 after succeeding Dave Loebsack. She previously served in the Iowa Senate from 2019 until her election to Congress. Born in Herlong, California in 1955, Miller-Meeks resides in Le Claire and holds a BSN from Texas Christian University.