# 114-hr-3616: Defending Our Defenders Act

114-hr-3616, Defending Our Defenders Act, is a 114th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Forbes, J. Randy [R-VA-4] (R-VA); status 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. (as of 2025-11-18).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/114-hr-3616
- As of: 2025-11-18
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 114-hr-3616
- Congress: 114
- Title: Defending Our Defenders Act
- Status: 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.
- Introduced: 2015-09-25
- Sponsor: Rep. Forbes, J. Randy [R-VA-4] (R-VA)
- Cosponsors: 9
- Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
- Touches household money: no
- Last recorded action: 2025-11-18

## 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.

## Cosponsors (9)

- WALTER JONES (R-NC), 2015-10-07T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Rouzer, David [R-NC-7] (R-NC), 2015-10-07T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Bishop, Rob [R-UT-1] (R-UT), 2015-10-07T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Ashford, Brad [D-NE-2] (D-NE), 2015-10-07T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Miller, Jeff [R-FL-1] (R-FL), 2015-10-07T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Nugent, Richard B. [R-FL-11] (R-FL), 2015-10-07T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Cook, Paul [R-CA-8] (R-CA), 2015-10-07T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Turner, Michael R. [R-OH-10] (R-OH), 2015-10-07T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Wittman, Robert J. [R-VA-1] (R-VA), 2015-10-07T00:00:00.000Z

## Related bills

- 114-hr-160: Protect Medical Innovation Act of 2015
- 114-hr-3929: Office of Strategic Services Congressional Gold Medal Act
- 114-hr-3134: Defund Planned Parenthood Act of 2015
- 114-hr-2992: Merchant Marine of World War II Congressional Gold Medal Act
- 114-hr-2737: Filipino Veterans of World War II Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2015
- 114-hr-2722: Breast Cancer Awareness Commemorative Coin Act

## Sources
- [114-hr-3616 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/house-bill/3616)

## Related
- [114-hr-160: Protect Medical Innovation Act of 2015](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/114-hr-160)
- [114-hr-3929: Office of Strategic Services Congressional Gold Medal Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/114-hr-3929)
- [114-hr-3134: Defund Planned Parenthood Act of 2015](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/114-hr-3134)
- [114-hr-2992: Merchant Marine of World War II Congressional Gold Medal Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/114-hr-2992)
- [114-hr-2737: Filipino Veterans of World War II Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2015](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/114-hr-2737)
- [114-hr-2722: Breast Cancer Awareness Commemorative Coin Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/114-hr-2722)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/114-hr-3616 (as of 2025-11-18).