Veterans and reservists in the Republican Study Committee are sending a letter directly to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) over his party’s refusal to reopen the government, effectively undermining the U.S. military’s combat readiness.
The letter, led by Republican Study Committee Chairman August Pfluger (R-TX) and first obtained by Breitbart News, features the members Congress, veterans, and serving Reservists and Guardsmen urging the New York Democrat to vote in favor of the GOP’s clean continuing resolution (CR) to reopen the government, despite refusing to do so several times. Members remind Schumer that House Republicans passed what they described as a “straightforward extension of government funding on September 19, 2025, to fund the government through November 21, 2025, at spending levels previously championed by President Biden and congressional Democrats.”
Yet, Democrats are refusing to support it, as Schumer is desperate to please his far-left base — a fact House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) has pointed out several times.
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“By refusing to vote in favor of funding levels you and your caucus previously supported, you hav made it clear to the American people that shutting down the government is justified in pursuit of your political ends, regardless of the cost to military readiness and the well-being of servicemembers and veterans,” They write, making it clear that the political actions of Democrats is directly “putting military members, veterans, and their families at risk.”
Members note that troops are only getting paid this week thanks to the actions of President Donald Trump.
“Without their decisive action, military families would have missed paychecks—including the hundreds of 42nd Infantry Division soldiers from New York deployed to the Middle East and more than 122,000 active duty service members in Virginia,” they write, adding, “”It is unconscionable to wield their paychecks as a political weapon.”
“With the uncertainty you have caused, Commanders are focused on helping their subordinates put food on the table, instead of focusing on defending our nation and getting our soldiers combat-ready,” they continue, explaining how the government shutdown — at the hands of Democrats — has dire consequences for the country, pointing to Reserve and Guard drill weekends, as they “could be delayed or canceled, directly disrupting unit cohesion and combat preparedness.”
“Nearly 334,900 Department of Defense civilians, about 45 percent of the workforce, are furloughed, halting the logistics, maintenance, and base operations that our uniformed men and women rely on every single day,” they write, later adding, “Your decision has halted advanced training and drastically reduced readiness and lethality. Could this be your intention?”
Further, the Department of Veterans Affairs has what they describe as “severely limited operations,” as regional offices are closed, thereby “preventing veterans from receiving support for their disability claims and employment services.”
“Not to mention, approximately 662,000 veterans in New York alone are directly impacted. These brave men and women can no longer receive career counseling, employment planning services, or assistance navigating VA benefits they earned through their service,” they write. “These are direct results of your actions and the actions of your colleagues.”
Ultimately, they conclude that military service members and veterans deserve better than the Democrats’ petty political games.
“We urge you to prioritize our country’s national security and the needs of our veterans over political aims. Pass a clean CR to ensure military readiness and restore veterans’ benefits. Our service members and veterans have sacrificed for this nation—they deserve your support, not your political games,” they added.
Signers include:
Republican Study Committee Chairman August Pfluger (TX)
Rep. Zach Nunn (IA)
Rep. Brian Mast (FL)
Rep. Ronny Jackson (TX)
Rep. Wesley Hunt (TX)
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (FL)
Rep. Abe Hamadeh (AZ)
Rep. Tony Gonzales (TX)
Rep. Pat Fallon (TX)
Rep. Joe Wilson (SC)
Rep. William Timmons (SC)
Rep. Greg Steube (FL)
Rep. Keith Self (TX)
Rep. Max Miller (OH)
Rep. Andrew Clyde (GA)
Rep. John McGuire (VA)
Rep. Rich McCormick (GA)
Rep. Barry Loudermilk (GA)
Rep. Scott Fitzgerald (WI)
Rep. Troy Downing (MT)
Rep. Mike Carey (OH)
Rep. Sheri Biggs (SC)
Rep. Tom Barrett (MI)
Rep. James Baird (IN)
Rep. Don Bacon (NE)
Rep. Neal Dunn (FL)
Rep. Jack Bergman (MI)
Last week, Trump directed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to to use all available funds to get the troops paid on October 15.
“We have identified funds to do this, and Secretary Hegseth will use them to PAY OUR TROOPS. I will not allow the Democrats to hold our Military, and the entire Security of our Nation, HOSTAGE, with their dangerous Government Shutdown,” Trump wrote at the time, adding,
“The Radical Left Democrats should OPEN THE GOVERNMENT, and then we can work together to address Healthcare, and many other things that they want to destroy.”
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