House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., blasted Democrat senators representing states with the largest active-duty military populations, accusing them of “holding troops’ paychecks hostage” amid the ongoing government shutdown.
“Democrats have voted nine times to block pay for the troops,” Johnson said in his daily government shutdown news conference Wednesday. “They don’t seem to care at all. Service members thousands of miles from home, trying to make rent, take care of their families, are being used as pawns in this insidious political game.”
Johnson noted that six of the 10 states with the largest active paid military populations are dominated by both Senate seats held by Democrats as the first Oct. 15 payday for active military was reached during the 15th day of the shutdown foisted by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.
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