joined his colleagues in co-sponsoring H.R. 5401, the Pay Our Troops Act and sending a letter to Speaker Johnson to request he re-convene Congress immediately to take up this vital legislation
Co-sponsor the Pay Our Troops Act and press Congress to reconvene so military service members receive their next paycheck during the shutdown.
Occurrences
Evidence
Congress.gov lists Rep. William R. Keating [D-MA-9] as a cosponsor of H.R.5401 on 10/08/2025.
The bill is titled the Pay Our Troops Act of 2026 and would make continuing appropriations for military pay in the event of a Government shutdown, including pay and allowances for Armed Forces members performing active service.
Congress.gov shows H.R.5401 was introduced on 09/16/2025, referred to the House Committee on Appropriations, and remained at the Introduced status rather than passing the House, Senate, or becoming law.
Congress.gov identifies related Senate measures S.3002 and S.3060, both referred to the Committee on Appropriations in late October 2025.
AP reported that President Trump directed the Defense Department to use available funds to ensure U.S. troops were paid on October 15 during the shutdown, using about $8 billion in unobligated Pentagon funds.
Assessments
Keating fulfilled the concrete action he personally controlled by co-sponsoring H.R.5401, the Pay Our Troops Act of 2026, during the relevant congressional term. However, the promised outcome also included pressing Congress to reconvene and ensuring service members received their next paycheck through that congressional route. The bill remained at introduced/committee status and did not become law, while troop pay was handled by executive action using Pentagon funds rather than by Keating's bill or a congressional reconvening attributable to him. This supports partial credit for a serious, directly relevant effort but not full delivery of the promised outcome.