As the month draws to a close, the urgency to secure funding for military salaries during the government shutdown intensifies, with the $8 billion reserve found by the Trump administration nearing depletion.

Efforts to ensure that active-duty military and essential federal workers receive their paychecks faced a setback when Senate Democrats blocked Sen. Ron Johnson’s (R-Wis.) proposal. This setback raises the possibility that service members might not see their October 31 paychecks.

With the shutdown dragging into its fourth week and no resolution apparent, the administration must identify new funding sources to guarantee military pay if Congress fails to act promptly.