Ensure the pay of essential employees during a government shutdown

During a government shutdown, hundreds of thousands of men and women will report to work as usual knowing that they will not be receiving a paycheck until a budget bill is passed; people with families, mortgages, obligations. To some living check to check, this is catastrophic. These men and women are working to ensure the safety of the United States, most full-time, and for their dedication and hard work they are rewarded with anxiety and hardship. Vacation time is cancelled during a shutdown, which could mean vacations approved a year in advance are in jeopardy, even after someone could have potentially spent thousands in non-refundable fees on it! This has been a yearly occurence for too long. I am asking for President Obama to guarantee the pay of essential personnel during a shutdown