‘The Audacity Of Someone Who Makes Six Figures’: Johnson Gets Paid While Refusing To Let Military Families Receive Their Checks

House Speaker Mike Johnson got an emotional call on Thursday from a military spouse during a C-SPAN segment about the government shutdown. The woman, who said she is a Republican from Virginia, shared her worries about her family’s money situation as the fight in Washington continues.

The caller told Johnson that her family lives “paycheck to paycheck” and warned that without military pay, her children’s lives could be at risk. She said that if there is no pay on the 15th, her children would not be able to get the medication they need to live their life. As per MSNBC, the woman criticized the speaker directly, saying, “I think it is awful, and the audacity of someone who makes six figures a year to do this to military families is insane.”

Instead of talking about her concerns, Johnson blamed Senate Democrats. He told the caller that “Republicans are the ones delivering for you” and said that “Chuck Schumer and the Democrats are the ones preventing you from getting the check, not Republicans.” But the caller pointed out during the call that Democrats have already offered a plan to make sure military families keep getting paid during the shutdown.

Growing Pressure From Both Parties To Protect Military Pay

The issue has caused problems within Johnson’s own party. Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York went against Republican leadership on Thursday and asked for a vote on a bill just for military pay. As many as 70 House Democrats are writing a letter to the speaker asking for a vote on a law that would make sure military members get paid during the shutdown. The current crisis follows Republicans rushing Trump’s legislative priorities to a floor vote earlier in the year.

Even with pressure from both sides, Johnson has refused to hold a vote on such a bill. This means that while members of Congress keep getting their salaries and health care during the shutdown, military families might miss their paychecks. The situation has brought criticism even from members of the speaker’s own party, who say that protecting military pay should come first.

The Republican caller’s emotional plea showed the real problems caused by the political fight. She asked Johnson to call the House back and pass the needed law, saying she was disappointed in both her party and the speaker himself. With Republicans in charge of the House, Senate, and White House, military families are looking to their own party leaders for answers that have not come yet.