Congress bucks Obama for higher pay and more troops
Military Times reports that over President Obama’s objections, Congress has authorized a bigger pay raise and increased the numbers of troops for the services;
Military personnel would see a 2.1 percent pay raise starting in January and a significant manpower boost within the Army, Air Force and Marine Corps as part of Congress’ annual defense spending bill unveiled Tuesday.
The compromise measure also includes a massive overhaul of the military health care system, but it eliminates a controversial proposal to change troops’ housing allowance, leaving the military’s current stipend program largely unchanged.
[…]
Lawmakers also used the additional funds to reject Obama’s plans to draw down Army and Marine Corps end strength, again to cut long-term personnel costs.
Under the final authorization draft, Army end strength would be set at 476,000 soldiers, about 16,000 more than the White House had requested for fiscal 2017.
The Marine Corps would be at 185,000 troops, an increase of about 3,000 over requested levels. The Air Force would go to 321,000 airmen, around 4,000 more than Obama wanted.
The Navy would remain at 324,000 sailors.
Troops’ pay has suffered under this administration and the larger pay increase helps to make up for that. The bean counters in the Pentagon can’t be happy since the target of their cuts have been towards personnel costs, but without personnel, what kind of military exists?
Of course, the President has threatened to veto the bill, like he does every year. But there’s always January.
Category: Barack Obama/Joe Biden
Wait – what? Am I in another dimension? A dimension not only of sight, but of sound?
The Congress wants better pay for the military?
I’m gettin’ the vapors over this. Where’s my vinaigrette?
Of course he would veto it. Gotta give that money to more important causes….like countries that hate us.
Democrats use federal money to buy votes, both directly and indirectly, like through welfare.
It is known.
Or like michaels shopping trips!
Congress seems to have found their collective stones? Good move.
No, sorry to disillusion you, but they’ve proved their nothing more than prairie grass — they bend whichever way the political wind blows.
True enough, but if Obama does veto, a new bill would likely end up on Trump’s desk, and he would sign it. The conditions on the ground will change on Jan 20th.
Our military personnel should get a raise and the House and Senate should continue their pay freeze.
Y’know, it almost looks like the consequences of the Presidential election are appearing before 20 January 2017.
Good news – if they stay the course.
And that may be a big “if”…
“If” and “but” are in contention for the most significant words in the English language.
So where has this ballsy Congress been for the last 8 years???!!!
You said it Sparks. Most of the problems we have are due to the failure of the muzzieinchief’s inability to lead–and the fact that he’s anti-American. BUT- the congress has failed to check the bastard. I hope they’ll keep their collective feet near the brake pedal in future. Looks to me like Mr. Trump is going to be a strong President.
476000 Soldiers (+16K)
185000 Marines (+3K)
321000 Airmen (+4K)
324000 Sailors
Total of 1.306 million people with skin in the game. Not nearly enough by my measure.
JUST WHAT did B. Hussein 0bama & Company cut and gut like they did the US Military?
Healthcare
Never thought I’d say this before Inauguration Day, but…
Bravo Zulu, Congress!
This is great … as long as we aren’t borrowing more money to pay for it.
It will be vetoed.
Congress knows it. This is all show and no go.
They get nothing from me,unless they override the veto.
Lucy is holding that ball for us to kick, again. Is anyone here really buying this one?
Well, start now encouraging your Senators and Representatives to support this bill and to work to override any mad-duck veto that the Big Zero may execute.
But, if Zero vetoes this one, can’t the Trumpminator sign it back in after he takes over?
Nope. Vetoed is dead and buried, unless the -same- congress overrides it.
The bills do not roll from congress to congress. They would have to start all over again.
After being screwed over royally the last 5 years that I worked Federal/Military with the pay freeze and what it’s done to my retirement, I’ll wait and see what happens on the pay raise, personally. I wish the pay raises could have kept pace with what Congress seems to feel they need to be paid (and had the same retirement benefits while I’m at it).
Government spend lots of money for free stuff -free phones, free house, hand out also to people here not legal and now want to take more muslim here and hand free stuff while Vets go hungry, Retired no get SS raise, Retired Vets no get raise either but rich politicians live in luxury, That no even add up with Mongo!
I certainly won’t argue against the pay increase. I’d be willing to forgo any personal benefit if passage hinged on it.
The second undertaking, the ‘major’ changes to the military health care system, seemed almost fine print to the pay raise. However, the deliberate use of ‘major’ & ‘overhaul’makes clear the exhaustive effort at hand but is otherwise ambiguous.
During the past two or three years I became aware of various proposals to remake military entitlements and benefits. To be clear, I am referring to reccomendations to address DOD funded programs only here.
I cannot point specifically to where I came across the information that has formed my understanding of some details put forth.
Most definitely incomplete but here it is. The focus of military medicine would concentrate and gear toward operations and caring for active service members.
Tricare would be eliminated for retirees and their dependents. In lieu of Tricare, retirees would receive a stipend to purchase health insurance from DOD selected companies. Those companies will offer discounted packages to retirees. However, the stipend and the discount are formulated to eventually phase-out. Completely.
Id like to reemphasize the less than fully informed offering that it is. This is simply an invitation for other input.