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H.R. 1536: SHIELD Act of 2017

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H.R. 1536: SHIELD Act of 2017

115th Congress · introduced 2017-03-15 · Economics and Public Finance · Latest: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2017-03-15 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Rep. Fitzpatrick, Brian K. [R-PA-8] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
  4. Where it stands now: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
  5. 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

SHIELD Act of 2017

Plain summary

Strengthening Homeland Security, Intelligence, and Essential Law Enforcement Departments Act of 2017 or the SHIELD Act of 2017 This bill requires, in the event that the U.S. public debt limit is reached, priority payment of the pay and allowances of: (1) members of the Armed Forces, including reserves, who perform active service; and (2) critical law enforcement officers employed by federal agencies. This bill requires the Department of the Treasury, during a period of lapsed appropriations for the Armed Forces or federal agencies employing critical law enforcement officers, to make available necessary amounts to continue such pay and allowances.

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)

AI explanation – may be wrong, check the official text

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The strongest published arguments

Arguments for (supporters)

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Arguments against (opponents)

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Alternatives

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

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Fitzpatrick, Brian K. [R-PA-8] · 37 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Jacky Rosen (D-NV), J. Luis Correa (D-CA), Scott H. Peters (D-CA), Ami Bera (D-CA), Alma S. Adams (D-NC), Henry C. "Hank" Johnson, Jr. (D-GA), Bill Foster (D-IL), Brendan F. Boyle (D-PA), Mike Thompson (D-CA), Joe Courtney (D-CT), Jamie Raskin (D-MD), Julia Brownley (D-CA), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), Chellie Pingree (D-ME)

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Fitzpatrick, Brian K. [R-PA-8] reported raising $8.0 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

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 (3)
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).
Securities
Financial investments that can be bought and sold, such as stocks and bonds.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong115-hr1536 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong115 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong115