H.R. 3616: Defending Our Defenders Act

114th Congress · introduced 2015-09-25 · Armed Forces and National Security · Latest: Referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

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Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2015-09-25 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Forbes, J. Randy [R-VA-4] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Defending Our Defenders Act

Plain summary

Defending Our Defenders Act This bill provides appropriations for pay and allowances for the military and supporting civilian and contractor personnel during a funding gap in which interim or full-year appropriations for the personnel accounts of the Armed Forces have not been enacted for the fiscal year. The bill prohibits the Department of Defense (DOD) from furloughing any employee funded by a working-capital fund unless: (1) the fund is insolvent, or (2) the fund has insufficient funds to pay the employee. DOD may waive this restriction for national security. If the public debt reaches the statutory limit, the following obligations must have equal priority over all other U.S. obligations: principal and interest on debt held by the public, pay and allowances for members of the Armed Forces on active duty, salaries for DOD civilian employees, and salaries for DOD contractors. The funds and authorities provided by this bill are available until the earliest of January 1, 2016, or enactment of specified appropriations legislation.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Defending Our Defenders Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Forbes, J. Randy [R-VA-4] · 9 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

David Rouzer (R-NC), Michael R. Turner (R-OH), Robert J. Wittman (R-VA)

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (6)

Appropriation: Money a legislature sets aside by law for a specific purpose. Government agencies may spend public money only as it has been appropriated.
Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
Fiscal year: The 12-month period a government uses for its budget. The federal fiscal year runs from October 1 to September 30 and is named for the calendar year in which it ends. Most states use July 1 to June 30.
Obligation: A binding promise by a government agency to pay money, for example by signing a contract or awarding a grant. Spending data such as USAspending.gov counts money when it is obligated, which can be before it is actually paid out.
Securities: Financial investments that can be bought and sold, such as stocks and bonds.
Statute: A written law passed by a legislature. A statute can be changed by a later law; changing a constitution needs an amendment.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-114hr3616.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/114/hr>

Record fed-us-cong114-hr3616 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong114 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong114