Ayotte: COLA cuts hit widows, too
New Hampshire Republican Senator Kelly Ayotte received confirmation from the Pentagon that the cuts to cost of living allowances includes recipients of the Survivor Benefit program – you know that thing that you take a reduction from your military to pay your spouse if you give up the ghost before him or her – you know, that you pay for because you intend for them to have a means to live after they sacrificed for your military career.
“The more I press the Pentagon for answers, the more I learn how egregious the military benefit cuts are in the budget deal. The cost of living adjustment cuts unfairly shortchange military retirees, military survivors, and the combat-injured to pay for more Washington spending,” said Senator Ayotte, a member of the Armed Services Committee. “Those who have kept us safe and taken bullets for us shouldn’t be singled out to sacrifice even more, and these cuts should never have been put in the budget agreement or passed by Congress. I am continuing my efforts to immediately right this wrong and to ensure our military retirees, survivors, and combat-wounded receive the full benefits they’ve earned.”
Based on Senator Ayotte’s questions, the Defense Department has confirmed that the CRDP, CRSC, and SBP programs are affected by the annual COLA reduction. The DoD response said, “The reduction can be greatest for disability retirees since many begin receiving retired pay well before the usual military retirement age.”
I wonder if the Pentagon will be sending out it’s agents to snatch candy from the mouths of babies, too. Thanks to ROS for the link.
Category: Veterans Issues
Why am I not surprised?
Both Ds and Rs were tripping all over each other to sponsor and co-sponsor repeal of the offending section of the offensive Bisexual Budget Act–or whatever it’s called. The reason is that, just as with OBAMACARE, these clowns don’t know the impact or effect of most bills before they hit the button or answer the roll call. When someone–usually outside of Congress and the Congressional staph infections actually points to something in a bill that might cause the critter to lose a few votes, they run to the cameras and papers and talk about the horrors of a bill–which they voted FOR. Jerks. Morons. Knuckleheads.
Meanwhile, that assweasel Frank Lautenberg’s widow, who is a millionaire, by the way, is getting $174,000 in this budget, because spouses of the legisleeches get a death gratuity at the taxpayers’ expense.
@3. Yipes. I never heard of that but you are right. Evidently, it is customary for the spouse of a deceased critter to receive such a gift. And what is the percentage of millionaires in that kennel known as Congress, some 70%?
great. Just great.
@2 Air Cav- well-said, well-said. I couldn’t agree more. And as to the spousal benefit for the ones that croak, I was not aware of that, but I am not surprised. The people who govern us these days have no idea what it is like to live in the “real” world with the rest of us. They love to talk about reductions in govt spending but conveniently ignore all of their own big fat benefits. And they are all too busy futzing around on iPads, sleeping in those nice comfy chairs, or getting blowjobs from hookers or whatever it is they do, to actually research any of the things they vote on. It makes me fighting mad that the first people they target are the very ones who have given up so much to protect us- our veterans. It is an egregious betrayal to cut benefits that were promised to you upon your enlistment, and it seems like breach of contract to me. I am not the brightest crayon in the box, but even I know that something has to give. You can’t continue to fund a country on the backs of the middle classes and give everyone else a pass.
Just when we thought the self-coronated royalty in DC couldn’t find more ways to SHIT on us Vets and Military Families…
“…the Pentagon will be sending out it’s agents to snatch candy from the mouths of babies, too.
How do you know about OPORD 001-014?
@4 – kind of gives you an idea where our elected legislators’ priorities are, eh?
I wonder if the Pentagon will be sending out it’s agents to snatch candy from the mouths of babies, too.
Only if the babies are military dependents.