House lawmakers endorsed legislation Tuesday that would repeal a cut in the cost-of-living adjustment to pensions for military retirees of working age. The House advanced 326-90 the bill (S 25) under suspension of the rules, an expedited process that requires a two-thirds majority for passage. House Republican leaders had planned to attach the measure to a bill (S 540) to extend the federal government’s borrowing authority (S 540), but changed course after determining that a majority of Republicans would not support the debt limit legislation.

The bill would modify the December budget agreement (PL 113-67), which included a 1 percentage point reduction in the annual cost-of-living adjustment for the pensions of military retirees under age 62. Under the legislation, the pension adjustment would apply only to members of the armed forces, or former members, who joined the military after Jan. 1, 2014.

Comprehensive Veterans Health and Benefits and Military Retirement Pay Restoration Act of 2014

Section 1:  Short title and table of contents

Section 2:  References to title 38, United States Code

Section 3: Budgetary effects

The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2014 is the key mechanism to provide necessary authorities and funding for America’s military. This is the fifty-second consecutive NDAA. Chairman McKeon’s Mark meets our Committee’s goal of providing for a strong defense in an era of uncertain and declining resources. The total amount authorized reflects the will of the House to provide our troops the resources they need to meet a dangerous world. However, the Chairman also recognizes that twin impacts of rapid defense cuts and FY13 sequestration, will force our warfighters to be not only keen stewards of our national security, but also the taxpayer dollar. To that end, the proposal supports and protects our warfighters and their families; addresses ongoing and emerging conflicts with resolve and accountability; protects America today while preparing for future threats; and finally controls costs while making wise choices with restrained resources. The House Armed Services Committee will meet at 10:00 AM on Wednesday, June

WASHINGTON -- Senator Carl Levin, D-Mich., chairman of the Committee on Armed Services, and Ranking Member Jim Inhofe, R-Okla., announced today that the committee has completed its markup of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2014. The committee voted 23-3 to report the bill, which authorizes funding for the Department of Defense (DOD) and the national security programs of the Department of Energy (DOE). “This bipartisan bill provides for our nation’s defense and upholds our obligations to our men and women in uniform and their families. The committee adopted important measures to address readiness problems caused by sequestration and to require the Department of Defense to cut costs and operate more efficiently” Levin said.

If sequestration continues into fiscal year 2014, the Defense Department will be forced to consider involuntary reductions-in-force for the civilian workforce, draconian cuts to military personnel accounts and a virtual halt to military modernization, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said in a letter to Senate leaders July 10. The senators had requested detailed information on how continued sequestration could affect the military.

n the letter, Hagel detailed the "Plan B" the department must confront if Congress does not pass legislation that averts sequestration in fiscal 2014. If the process continues, DOD will be forced to cut $52 billion more from the budget that year. Hagel stressed in the letter that he fully supports President Barack Obama's fiscal 2014 budget request and noted that if sequestration remains in effect, "the size, readiness and technological superiority of our military will be reduced, placing at much greater risk the country's ability to meet our current national security commitments."