Posted on 01/13/2014 1:27:24 PM PST by SkyPilot
The Pentagon has determined that the budget deal passed last month cutting $6 billion in military pensions would also reduce survivor benefits, Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.) said Monday.
But the cuts to survivor benefits and two other programs related to combat and disability pay will be repealed in the omnibus spending bill, said a senior Senate aide familiar with the government funding measure expected to be released later Monday.
"At the end of the day, this will all be addressed," the aide said.
Ayotte has been one of the most vocal senators opposing the cut to military retirement benefits in the budget deal, which provides $31 billion in sequester relief to the Pentagon over the next two years. She pointed on Monday to the cuts to survivors' benefits as well as special combat compensation programs as new reasons to repeal the full $6 billion in pension cuts.
Ayotte asked the Pentagon to detail how the military pension cut in last month's budget deal would affect various benefit programs. The department told her that the reduction in the cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for military retirement pay also reduces payments for survivors’ benefits and the combat compensation programs.
“The more I press the Pentagon for answers, the more I learn how egregious the military benefit cuts are in the budget deal,” Ayotte said in a statement Monday.
“The cost of living adjustment cuts unfairly shortchange military retirees, military survivors, and the combat-injured to pay for more Washington spending,” she said.
Ayotte is one of numerous lawmakers who have introduced legislation that would repeal the $6 billion retirement benefits cut that was included in the budget agreement reached by Budget Chairs Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) and Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.).
(Excerpt) Read more at thehill.com ...
Incredible.
More bad news.......
The overall $6 billion retirement benefit cuts will not be repealed in the omnibus as some lawmakers had hoped, the aide said. Ryan has defended the military retirement benefit cuts...
Kudos to Sen Ayotte. I have not always agreed with everything, but on this issue she has been one of the few courageous voices standing up for our military, our disabled military, and our widows and widowers.
RINO saving face.
Too late.
Isn’t it truly breathtaking how ‘some’ of these politicians have absolutely no fear or qualms about pissing off the people who know how to use the most modern military weapons available. And use them effectively I might add.
Either they are near brain-dead or they know something that makes doing this sort of thing practical and desirable.
I took your pension money....I took your pension money.....ha ha......
Democrats, Obama, Ryan, and Establishment Republicans hate our military.
They have mealy mouths at patriotic parades but behind closed doors they steal their money, the health care, their retirement compensation, and food from the mouths of their wives and children.
They say 6 billion, but that’s over 10 years. We’re talking about 600 million a year.
Last year, according to the Wall Street Journal, the US spent 2.2 billion dollars on Obama Phones.
Little thangs talkin’ trash to one other is more important than those who shed their blood for the nation being able to care for themselves and their dependents.
It is way past time for an armed Veterans march on dc, just like what has happened in the past. This country is long on making promises to those who wear the uniform & then breaking them. I for one have had a belly full of their lies & crap!
This was never about saving big money.
Here is what I think happened:
- Ryan desperately wanted a deal, because he was always the guy with the big ideas, but never any leadership or legislative victories
- The Democrats would not budge on big Entitlements
- Hagel called Ryan, and offered him the scalps of military retirees, disabled military, surviving widows/widowers, and currently serving military on a silver platter ("Go ahead, cut their pensions....we will propose even more cuts to military pay, housing, and healthcare next year!")
- Ryan jumped at the chance, and he foolishly figured he could maybe even parlay the military pensions cuts in order to sell further cuts in other programs (i.e. "Hey, the military got screwed....and they had to take it....so maybe can we cut you guys too? Please?")
I brought that up at a Christmas party I attended. Everyone was on my side, Democrats, Republicans, liberals, conservatives, etc. I could not believe it. Americans are 10 to 1 against these cuts to our military pensions.
ping
big LIBERAL ideas?
My thoughts, exactly. She has her nose so far up McShame and Linda’s backsides, it’s been difficult for her to find the light of day.
The advancement of his own political career.
Read this, if you have a strong stomach.
Sen Ayotte stood her ground against an vile and angry Sen Barb Boxer last week. Boxer accused her (on the Senate floor) of trying to starve children because she wants to close the loophole where illegals can use imaginary children and children who reside in other nations to claim illegal tax credits, and use that loophole money to restore veterans pensions).
Ayotte was viscously and personally attacked by Boxer. Although shaken by this attack, she stood her ground.
Senate Democrats Block Amendment to Restore Military Pensions
"This is nothing about protecting children,” Ayotte responded. “Unless you’re trying to protect children that may not exist, or you’re trying to protect children who don’t live in the United States of America. This is about protecting abuse within the tax code, which again, I have a letter from a member of her caucus who recognized this problem as well based on a Treasury IG report done under this administration. This amendment is about protecting the American taxpayer. We need to be able to have votes on behalf of our states, on behalf of the American people, and if we disagree, let’s vote them down,” she added. “I don’t see what the issue is there, unless you’re worried that it’s going to pass because it just makes too much sense.”
“RINO saving face.”
Yeah, she’s a lib puke on other stuff. But she’s doing the right thing here. Credit where credit is due.
I have yet to hear this from those politicians promoting these cuts.
When your in the military your on call 24/7 365. You go where they send you very often leaving family behind for months at a time. Very often and partcularly if your job is in a line outfit there is no job equivlancy to civilian life. Plus your life is on line. The pension is about the only incentive worthy of consideration when one enlists and remains in service for 20 years.
But at least they didn't cut the many billions in welfare, tax, and medical benefits shoveled out to illegal aliens every year, so there is a silver lining to all this, right?
It sickens me to no end that ANY member of our Congress, regardless of party, would choose to cut ANY benefit to a member of our brave military (or their families) - our military members and families that have sacrificed SO much. Especially while espousing giving HAND OUTS to those here ILLEGALLY - who've broken our laws to come here - and mooch off of the system.
I get so tired of the old politician-gimme-cover game that they ALL play. Ayott's been terrible on so many issues....not even taking calls, and having her staff members become confrontational on the few times you could get through...that I just don't trust her motives, anymore.
EVERY SINGLE Republican politician should be standing up for our military and their continued benefits...over benefits to illegals...24/7, front and center. Not just a handful.
If you can survive a 20 plus military career with your sanity, body, and marriage intact, you are one of the lucky ones. They find themselves in their 40s or 50s, and they are literally starting over. Many find that while people shake their hands and say "thank you for your service" - this seldom translates into getting a decent job. Some do very well, our military are highly skilled, possess incredible leadership and communications skills, and many are highly educated. But in the ObamaEconomy, they are struggling as much as or more than anyone else.
When their pensions were cut, it was an incredible betrayal. If we have a major war break out in the Pacific or Middle East this year or next, I fear for our nation. The morale of the military is almost completely broken.
That makes sense in ‘how’ they occurred. Still though, it’s reprehensible and even more than that; it’s stupid. Thus proving once again that the GOPe truly deserve the title: The Stupid Party.
I wondered where the GOP leadership was on this, and how they could have been so stupid.
Here is what I concluded:
- Mitch McConnell was not even consulted on the military pension cuts because Boehner wrote him off completely in November when McConnell said he didn't want any budget deal
- Boehner was too pickled to really care; he gave the keys to Paul Ryan and let him drive
- McCain was asked, but he didn't stick up for the military men and women, which is really incredible. McCain wanted some relief for the military from Sequestration cuts more than he cared about cutting military pensions (hey, I was for military Sequestration relief too....but not at that price)
- Cantor didn't care either way, he figured this was Paul Ryan's deal, and they are sort of rivals anyway
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