A bipartisan push in Congress that aims to provide junior enlisted troops with a 19.5% pay raise is facing a significant obstacle: the White House. The proposal, which supplements the 4.5% raise requested by President Joe Biden in his budget, would grant junior enlisted troops an additional 15% pay increase. The estimated cost of this raise over the period from 2025 to 2029 is $24.4 million.
The House Armed Services Committee overwhelmingly approved the pay raise as part of the 2024 National Defense Authorization Act. Committee Chair Mike Rogers, R-Ala., emphasized that the package is grounded in research conducted by the Bipartisan Quality of Life Panel in collaboration with the Defense Department.
Point phone camera here
Rogers expressed concern about military families relying on food banks, SNAP and WIC to put food on the table. According to the Servicemember Compensation Report, 25% of service members face food insecurity and their pay has not kept pace with inflation since 2020.
The White House Budget Office reaffirmed its commitment to service members and their families but opposes making a significant, permanent change to the basic pay schedule before the Pentagon completes its quadrennial compensation review.
In January, service members received a 5.2% basic pay increase, the largest since 2003, according to the Biden administration. Rogers criticized Biden for holding off on making the change.
“Instead of supporting this commonsense proposal, President Biden is once again turning his back on our service members,” Rogers said. “I believe wholeheartedly that the brave Americans who serve in our armed forces shouldn’t have to worry about making ends meet, unfortunately, President Biden doesn’t feel the same.”
Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., highlighted the struggles of junior enlisted troops in affording housing costs. He praised the proposed pay hike as a bold step to support service members, which would aid recruitment and retention efforts.
The House of Representatives will likely vote on the defense bill on Friday, June 14. The Senate is also working on similar legislation.
Tags: House of Representatives, Joe Biden, Mike Rogers, Military Defense, National Defense Authorization Act, Snap, The Pentagon, U.S. Congress, U.S. military, U.S. Senate, White House
[LAUREN TAYLOR]
A BIPARTISAN PUSH IN CONGRESS TO GIVE JUNIOR ENLISTED TROOPS A 19.5% PAY RAISE – IS FACING A MAJOR POTENTIAL OBSTACLE: THE WHITE HOUSE.
THE PROPOSAL WOULD GIVE JUNIOR ENLISTED TROOPS A 15% PAY RAISE ON TOP OF THE 4.5% RAISE THE PRESIDENT ASKED FOR IN HIS BUDGET.
THE PROPOSED RAISE WOULD COST $24.4 MILLION FROM 2025 TO 2029.
THE PAY RAISE PASSED THE HOUSE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE OVERWHELMINGLY AS PART OF THIS YEAR’S DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION.
COMMITTEE CHAIR MIKE ROGERS SAID THE PAY RAISE PACKAGE IS BASED ON RESEARCH CONDUCTED BY THE “BIPARTISAN QUALITY OF LIFE PANEL IN COLLABORATION WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE.”
ROGERS SAYS TOO MANY MILITARY FAMILIES ARE “RELYING ON FOOD BANKS, SNAP, AND WIC IN ORDER TO PUT FOOD ON THE TABLE.”
ACCORDING TO THE SERVICE MEMBER COMPENSATION REPORT, 25% OF SERVICE MEMBERS ARE FOOD INSECURE AND THEIR PAY HAS NOT KEPT UP WITH INFLATION SINCE 2020.
THE WHITE HOUSE BUDGET OFFICE SAID THIS WEEK THE ADMINISTRATION IS “STRONGLY COMMITTED TO TAKING CARE OF SERVICE MEMBERS AND THEIR FAMILIES” BUT “STRONGLY OPPOSES MAKING A SIGNIFICANT, PERMANENT CHANGE TO THE BASIC PAY SCHEDULE BEFORE” THE PENTAGON FINISHES ITS QUADRENNIAL COMPENSATION REVIEW.
SERVICE MEMBERS RECEIVED A 5.2% BASIC PAY INCREASE IN JANUARY – “THE LARGEST SINCE 2003.”
ROGERS RESPONDED SAYING “INSTEAD OF SUPPORTING THIS COMMONSENSE PROPOSAL, PRESIDENT BIDEN IS ONCE AGAIN TURNING HIS BACK ON OUR SERVICE MEMBERS. I BELIEVE WHOLEHEARTEDLY THAT THE BRAVE AMERICANS WHO SERVE IN OUR ARMED FORCES SHOULDN’T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT MAKING ENDS MEET, UNFORTUNATELY PRESIDENT BIDEN DOESN’T FEEL THE SAME.”
DEMOCRATIC CONGRESSMAN ADAM SMITH SAID JUNIOR ENLISTED TROOPS ARE STRUGGLING TO AFFORD HOUSING COSTS AND THEIR PAY HAS NOT KEPT UP WITH THE PACE OF RISING COSTS. HE CALLED THE PROPOSED PAY HIKE “A BOLD STEP TO TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE SUPPORT THEM, WHICH INCIDENTALLY WILL ALSO HELP WITH RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION.”
THE FULL HOUSE IS EXPECTED TO VOTE ON THE DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION BILL THIS WEEK.
THE SENATE IS ALSO CONSTRUCTING SIMILAR LEGISLATION.
FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS, I’M LT…
IF YOU WANT MORE, UNBIASED STRAIGHT FACTS – DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP OR VISIT SAN DOT COM.
Straight to your inbox.
By entering your email, you agree to the Terms & Conditions and acknowledge the Privacy Policy.
MOST POPULAR
-
Getty Images
Poland mandates gun training in schools amid ongoing Russia-Ukraine war
-
Reuters
Kilauea eruption shoots lava into the air, brings tourists to Hawaii’s Big Island
-
Ukraine Armed Forces
Ukraine uses all-drone ground attack force in historic first
-
Getty Images
Tea bags found to contain ‘huge’ and ‘concerning’ amounts of microplastics