Reserve Organization of America joins national call to end government shutdown and ensure troop pay

Matthew Schwartzman, ROA director of legislation and military policy, speaks Nov. 4, 2025, at ROA’s Minute Man Memorial Building in Washington, urging Congress to end the shutdown and pay the troops. (Photo courtesy of MOAA)

Matthew Schwartzman, ROA director of legislation and military policy, joins veteran and military leaders Nov. 4, 2025, in Washington, urging Congress to pass funding and ensure pay for all servicemembers. (Photo courtesy of MOAA)

ROA and mission partners urge Congress to end the shutdown and ensure pay, benefits, and stability for all who serve.

WASHINGTON, DC, UNITED STATES, November 5, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Reserve Organization of America joined leading national veterans and military service organizations at a joint press conference on election day at ROA’s Minute Man Memorial Building, calling on Congress to immediately pass bipartisan appropriations and end the ongoing government shutdown.

This was the second press conference held by the coalition in recent weeks, underscoring the growing urgency of congressional inaction. Since the first event, ROA members have met with more than 100 congressional offices to advocate for solutions and have worked with mission partners on multiple joint letters to congressional leaders urging swift passage of appropriations and the Pay Our Troops Act.

Now entering its second month, the shutdown has left servicemembers, veterans, military families and survivors facing mounting financial strain, disrupted access to critical benefits, and deep uncertainty ahead of the holiday season.

For members of the Reserve and National Guard, the impact is particularly severe. Unlike their active-duty counterparts, reserve component members balance two worlds — their civilian employment and their military service. That balance is always delicate, and during a shutdown, it begins to collapse. Drill weekends and training events are often canceled, leaving servicemembers without scheduled pay and units without critical training time.

For many, that missed paycheck is part of the monthly family budget — helping make a car payment, buy groceries or cover child care. When training orders are canceled or delayed, families often must use personal savings to remain insured, and in some cases, military health coverage can automatically lapse.

“The Guard and Reserve are essential to national defense and offer a true bargain to the taxpayer, but they exist in a fragile balance between civilian life and military obligation. When the government shuts down, that balance collapses," ” said Matthew Schwartzman, director of legislation and military policy for ROA. “Drills are canceled, paychecks stop and readiness suffers. Congress must act now to meet its constitutional duty and ensure every uniformed service member, including those in the U.S. Public Health Service and NOAA Commissioned Corps, receives the pay and stability they have earned.”

Leaders at the event called for immediate, bipartisan and bicameral action to ensure that all servicemembers and their families receive the pay and support they deserve, and that the federal government fulfills its obligations to those who have served.

Speakers included:

Matthew Schwartzman, Director, Legislation and Military Policy – Reserve Organization of America (ROA)

Jessica Finucan, Director, Policy and Advocacy – Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA)

Tom Porter, Vice President, Government Affairs – Blue Star Families (BSF)

Candace Wheeler, Senior Director, Government and Legislative Affairs – Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS)

Jon Retzer, Deputy National Legislative Director – Disabled American Veterans (DAV)

Maj. Gen. (Ret.) April Vogel, Vice President, Government Relations – Military Officers Association of America (MOAA)

Besa Pinchotti, CEO – National Military Family Association (NMFA)

Jon Nutman, Policy Advisor, Legislative Affairs – Air Force Sergeants Association (AFSA)

ROA urged Congress to immediately pass either the Pay Our Troops Act — ensuring inclusion of the U.S. Public Health Service and NOAA Commissioned Corps — or a full-year defense appropriations bill that guarantees continued pay, benefits and operational stability for all who serve.

“Every day this shutdown continues, we send the wrong message to those who volunteer to serve — that their service is conditional,” Schwartzman said. “It is time to end the shutdown, pay our troops and restore the trust and readiness that keep our nation secure.”

Matthew Schwartzman
Reserve Organization of America
mschwartzman@roa.org
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Reserve Organization of America joins national call to end government shutdown and ensure troop pay.

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