Military retirement under attack

[nsplayr]

Wrong again.

In the House vote, 169 Republicans voted aye vs 163 Democrats. In the Senate, it was 9 Republicans and 53 Democrats.

I stand corrected

[AlphaMikeFoxtrot]

Got a reply from Cornyn, valid and respectable:

Dear Mr. AMF:

Thank you for contacting me regarding funding for the Department of Defense (DoD). I appreciate having the benefit of your comments on this important matter.

We must recognize that the primary duty of the federal government is to safeguard our citizens and provide for the common defense. Adequate and stable funding is necessary to ensure the readiness of our Armed Forces, and DoD leaders need both time and flexibility to properly adapt our military and ensure our troops remain the best trained and equipped in the world. I also believe that if DoD and Congress work together in common cause to identify reasonable cost-saving reforms, the impact of defense budget cuts can be mitigated and dire consequences can and will be prevented.

As you may know, the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013 (H. J. Res. 59) was passed by the Senate on December 18, 2013, and has been sent to the President to be signed into law. I opposed this flawed legislation for a number of reasons, including the fact that it requires a reduction in pension benefits for all military retirees, even those who are combat-wounded and medically retired. I joined with my colleagues in calling for a vote to restore these benefits, but the Senate Majority Leader refused to allow the issue to receive a vote. Although it is clear that the military pension system is in need of reform, such reform should not impact current retirees or those who are already serving in uniform.

On December 19, 2013, the Senate passed the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014 (H.R. 3304). I voted in favor of this legislation, which contains a number of important provisions aimed at easing the current strain on our Armed Forces, providing our military with critical resources, and ensuring that our troops and veterans receive the support and benefits they have earned. It also contains a number of key provisions that will improve the military’s sexual assault response and prevention efforts. However, I am disappointed that the Senate Majority Leader did not allow an open amendment process on this bill, which would have allowed Senators to vote on the inclusion of additional provisions to support and honor our men and women in uniform, including my amendment to ensure that the victims of the 2009 terrorist attack at Fort Hood are awarded the Purple Heart.

Congress shares a solemn duty to fully support and resource our troops and their families, but we also share a critical responsibility to the taxpayers to ensure their funds are spent wisely. Our men and women in uniform must have the advanced equipment and superior capabilities necessary to defend our nation and our interests around the world. Thousands of our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines are serving in harm’s way in Afghanistan and throughout the world, defending our nation against tyranny and terror. They demonstrate every day their professionalism and dedication to duty and country. And while monetary compensation alone could never fully repay our nation’s service members—past and present—for their sacrifices, our nation has a solemn obligation to do everything it can to support them.

I appreciate having the opportunity to represent Texas in the United States Senate, and you may be certain that I will continue to advocate for a national defense budget that fully supports our troops in their current missions and guarantees U.S. national security in the coming years. Thank you for taking the time to contact me.

Sincerely,

JOHN CORNYN

United States Senator

[herkbum]

Senator Alexander responded back today:

Dear XXXX,

Thanks for getting in touch with me and letting me know whats on your mind about federal spending and the Murray-Ryan budget agreement.

Since President Obama took office, our national debt has increased over $6.5 trillion. The federal governments debt now exceeds $17 trillion. This debt will be put on the backs of our children and our grandchildren. It is time to balance the governments books and live within our means. Thats what I did as governor of Tennessee and thats what millions of families in America do every day.

Thats why on August 2, 2011, I supported the Budget Control Act which reduced spending for every dollar Congress raised the debt ceiling. This was a welcome change in behavior I was glad to support. The Budget Control Act put discretionary spending caps in place for fiscal years 2012 through 2021 that limit the amount of money that can be spent through the annual appropriations process. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimated this reduced federal spending by $917 billion over the next 10 years. The legislation also required an additional $1.2 trillion in automatic spending reductions over the next 10 years, if Congress failed to reduce the debt by at least $1.2 trillion. The failure of the Super Committee to propose other spending cuts was a failure of governing, and the $1.2 trillion will be cut the wrong way, without reforming the mandatory entitlement spending that is nearly 60 percent of the federal budget and is bankrupting our country.

House and Senate Budget Committee Chairs, Paul Ryan and Patty Murray, negotiated a budget for fiscal years 2014 and 2015 that would that would address sequestration and bring certainty to the budget process. While I appreciate the efforts of Senator Murray and Representative Ryan to negotiate this compromise, I voted against this budget agreement because it avoids the federal governments most urgent need: reducing the growth of runaway entitlement spending. Instead, it spends savings that should be used to strengthen Medicare, pensions, and the air transportation system. It is particularly troubling that the budget agreement takes money from pensions in a way that treats military retirees worse than the civilian federal employees.

It would have been better to pay for this agreement with a small part of the $1 trillion in entitlement savings that Senator Corker and I have identified in our bill, the Fiscal Sustainability Act, or with entitlement savings suggested in the presidents own budget. The Fiscal Sustainability Act would reduce the growth of entitlement spending in Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security to improve the programs solvency and make sure they are there for future beneficiaries.

Getting our debt under control is the foremost problem we have facing our country. If we do not, we will watch America pass from the hands of the ``greatest generation'' to the debt-paying generation with nothing to show for it but the bill.

Im grateful you took the time to let me know where you stand. Ill be sure to keep your comments in mind as spending issues and the future of these programs is discussed and debated in Washington and in Tennessee.

Sincerely,

Lamar

[tunes]

you guys realize these are aides/interns responding with canned letters to match the subject of what you wrote in about right?

[herkbum]

you guys realize these are aides/interns responding with canned letters to match the subject of what you wrote in about right?

Yes, I even addressed that in the opening of my initial letters. You realize it doesn't matter because it shows me how they voted on the issue and likely why they voted that way.

[Bender]

you guys realize these are aides/interns responding with canned letters to match the subject of what you wrote in about right?

I'm sure you are not somehow suggesting that one shouldn't write to their elected representatives because "aides/interns respond with canned letters matching the subject".

I assume you are merely trying to point out what you consider obvious, and I assure you, we all here appreciate that we have you to do that for us.

If you are not interested in the responses because you question their sincerity, that's fine (thanks for sharing your opinion, I'll have my intern draft up a canned letter for you in the morning).

I find it difficult to digest your post and derive any value without scotch...so....I'll wait until I get home and reevaluate.

Bendy

[lj35driver]

Tony Carr's latest blog on the subject...http://www.jqpublic-blog.com/?p=600

[Wendell]

Whatever happened to the congressman who supposedly frequented these pages a year or so ago. I would be interested to hear why he felt the need to stab his fellow service members in the back. http://kinzinger.house.gov

[Champ Kind]

Whatever happened to the congressman who supposedly frequented these pages a year or so ago. I would be interested to hear why he felt the need to stab his fellow service members in the back. http://kinzinger.house.gov

Good find.

[Day Man]

Whatever happened to the congressman who supposedly frequented these pages a year or so ago. I would be interested to hear why he felt the need to stab his fellow service members in the back. http://kinzinger.house.gov

If it benefits him more than his fellow service members, the answer is pretty obvious...welcome to politics.

[Homestar]

The only thing I can think of is that Republicans in Congress are just happy that there was a budget deal that could pass both houses and get signed by the President. They think that since they just gave away the house, the Democrats will be willing to negotiate on future budget issues. But as long as Harry Reid is a member of the Senate I think the Republicans may as well give up. This is one-way compromise, and the only way to move your agenda forward is to win back the Senate.

I would be fine with a COLA cut as the price of passing a budget (heaven knows this Congress needs to finally do that), if the civilian retirement were affected by the same COLA cut. But it's not.

[TMFan]

I would be fine with a COLA cut as the price of passing a budget (heaven knows this Congress needs to finally do that), if the civilian retirement were affected by the same COLA cut. But it's not.

I wouldn't be fine with it. Why does it have to be about military pensions vs. civil service pensions? What about the rest of the population? What are they sacrificing if I am giving up $120K in earned benefits?

[Homestar]

What about the rest of the population? What are they sacrificing if I am giving up $120K in earned benefits?

Word.

[lj35driver]

What about the rest of the population? What are they sacrificing if I am giving up $120K in earned benefits?

THIS! The President has stated many times about us all doing our "fair share", but I don't see any of our elected officials, welfare recipients, illegals getting tax benefits, etc being asked to give up ANYTHING. As many keep trying to convey, our retirement is an earned pension, not a discretionary benefit.

[Champ Kind]

Whatever happened to the congressman who supposedly frequented these pages a year or so ago. I would be interested to hear why he felt the need to stab his fellow service members in the back. http://kinzinger.house.gov

Crickets...

[herkbum]

He's not worried about his mil retirement since he is well on his way to those cush House retirement deals. Forgot where he came from?

[Homestar]

I thought he separated from the Air Force before 20 years anyway.

[Wendell]

I thought he separated from the Air Force before 20 years anyway.

Its my understanding that he is still in the guard. I know he is not the only one to vote for the retirement cuts, but his is one of the worst because of the clear betrayal. He was supposed to be part of the new generation, our generation who served oversees and then went to Washington to make it better, while still protecting the military from unnecessary cuts. If our "friends" are willing to betray us in this way, what is going to happen when those less friendly politicians who have never served in the military start making cuts.

https://www.facebook.com/RepKinzinger?hc_location=timeline

According to his Facebook page he thanked the troops for their service and sacrifice while filming an AFN commercial then seven days later he shit on all of that by voting to cut the retirement, something he did not even acknowledge in his Facebook statement on why he voted for the bill. It makes you wonder if he even knew what was in the bill he voted on. Yet another reason to get out as soon as I can.

[herkbum]

I thought he separated from the Air Force before 20 years anyway.

His website says he is still in the ANG.

[Rusty Pipes]

I know lots of you guys have read Tony Carr's open letter to Rep. Ryan on his John Q. Public blog… it has since been published on businessinsider.com. It looks like he is now getting a bigger stage… Tony is scheduled to appear on FoxNews tomorrow morning (Friday, 27 Dec) on Fox and Friends to discuss the retirement cuts for military members. He doesn't have a time yet, but I'll update this when I hear for those interested in watching. For those who don't know Tony, I can't think of a better guy to represent us in a forum like this.

Update: Already posted by Chuck, but it looks like 6:15 EST. They will most definitely replay it again a few more times during the 3 hr block of Fox and Friends, but if you are interested in seeing it live it will be at 6:15. Good luck, Tony… thanks for fighting for us!

Edited December 26, 2013 by Rusty Pipes

[GoAround]

That is great news. Thanks for the info Rusty.

[Bender]

Somebody post a link when they find it. I can't figure out how AFN even works programming-wise...if it even makes it onto the AFN news channel here.

Thank you kindly in advance,

Mr. Bender-meister

[GoAround]

BeerMan, that's a great point. Would like to know if the "bipartisan", Paul Ryan-led budget deal included a reduction in the House and Senate retirements. I wager no.

[Rusty Pipes]

Somebody post a link when they find it. I can't figure out how AFN even works programming-wise...if it even makes it onto the AFN news channel here.

Thank you kindly in advance,

Mr. Bender-meister

I'm about as tech savvy as a sun dial, but I'm sure we can find someone who can post a link to the segment on here somehow. Maybe Chang or Liquid could even take a look to see what real Air Force leaders should look like… Tony was smart enough to trade in Stars for Harvard Law. I'm guessing he will have a much bigger impact on the system with the path he has chosen… sucks to see the AF lose yet another great leader though!

[congressman]

As a side note, I would love to see a comparison of 20+ year military retirement compensation and "one term" Congressional benefits. (in a stoplight chart because apparently people above the rank of Captain can't digest facts or details).