WASHINGTON, D.C. — New U.S. Senator Rick Scott has co-sponsored a bill that would pay members of the U.S. Coast Guard during the government shutdown.
South Dakota Republican Senator John Thune is the lead sponsor, and 22 other members have signed on, including Florida Senator Marco Rubio.
In a statement today, Scott said on Twitter that there are 4,879 active duty Coast Guard members who are affected by the shutdown. This week they did not get their paychecks on Wednesday.
Scott was sworn in back on January 8th, as the last member of the new Senate.
The Coast Guard is the only branch of the military by the shutdown, because they do not fall under the Department of Defense.
He opted to finish out his term as Florida Governor before heading to Washington.