Op-Ed: Jason Stverak: Credit unions stepped up during the shutdown, now Congress must do its part
Jason Stverak lays out what Congress needs to do now that the government shutdown is finally over.
The recent government shutdown was a disgrace. It hurt the very people who defend our freedom — the men and women in uniform and the federal employees who keep our country running. For weeks, they reported for duty without knowing if they would be paid. More than 1.3 million active-duty servicemembers and thousands of Coast Guard families nearly went without pay. Many military households live paycheck to paycheck, and even one missed payday can mean choosing between rent and groceries.
No servicemember should ever have to wonder if they can afford food for their children because Congress can’t pass a budget. The shutdown exposed not just political dysfunction, but moral failure. Our troops and their families were caught in the middle of a fight they never asked for.
While Washington bickered, credit unions once again became the financial first responders. They acted swiftly and compassionately to help members bridge the gap — proving why credit unions are different.
One powerful example came from Keesler Federal Credit Union in Mississippi. Within days of the shutdown, Keesler launched a Paycheck Relief Program that advanced up to 100 percent of missed paychecks, interest-free and fee-free, for eligible military and federal employee members. The program covered as much as $6,000 per pay period for up to 90 days, calculated from each member’s average recent deposits. These advances weren’t loans — they were lifelines — automatically repaid once back pay arrived.
Keesler’s Board approved the relief immediately, ensuring members would see funds deposited on their regular paydays, even as federal paychecks were halted. Within the first two pay cycles, Keesler had advanced nearly $3 million to impacted members. That’s real money, delivered with compassion, efficiency, and no red tape.
Across the nation, credit unions followed suit. They offered zero-interest loans, skipped loan payments, waived fees, and provided emergency financial counseling.
But even as we celebrate these heroic efforts, we must acknowledge a painful truth: credit unions shouldn’t have to do this. Our members shouldn’t depend on emergency programs every time Congress fails to govern.
Congress owes our servicemembers and their families something simple: certainty. They deserve to know their pay will arrive — no matter what happens on Capitol Hill.
That’s why we are calling on lawmakers to pass one comprehensive bill that guarantees uninterrupted pay for all uniformed service members, including the Coast Guard, in any future funding lapse. Whether it’s the Pay Our Troops Act, the Pay Our Coast Guard Parity Act, or a combined version, the goal is clear: protect those who protect us.
This is not a partisan issue — it’s a moral one. Our troops don’t stop serving during a shutdown. Neither should their paychecks.
Credit unions like Keesler Federal will always be there in a crisis. We’ll keep advancing pay, waiving fees, and helping families make ends meet. But Congress must ensure those safety nets aren’t needed in the first place.
As this shutdown ends, let’s turn relief into reform. Let’s guarantee that no soldier, sailor, airman, Marine, or Coast Guardsman will ever again face financial hardship because of political gridlock.
Credit unions did their part. Now it’s time for Congress to do theirs.
Jason Stverak is the Chief Advocacy Officer of the Defense Credit Union Council (DCUC).