Bush signs defense bill with 3.9% pay raise

Raise takes effect Jan. 1
$68.6B for ops in Iraq, Afghanistan included


Bush signs defense bill with 3.9% pay raise
By Rick Maze - Staff writer
Posted : Wednesday Oct 15, 2008 7:15:57 EDT

The 2009 Defense Authorization Act, which includes a host of improvements in military pay and benefits, capped by a 3.9 percent raise, was signed into law by President Bush on Tuesday.

The pay raise, which takes effect on Jan. 1, marks the eighth consecutive year in which pay for service members will exceed the average increase in private-sector wage growth.

There is more to the defense bill than pay and benefits increases, however. It also includes $531.4 billion in budget authority for peacetime (:wtf:) defense programs, including weapons research and purchases, operations and training, military construction and health care programs and other personnel costs.

Also in the bill is permission for the Pentagon to spend $68.6 billion for ongoing military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan — enough for about six months at the current pace of expenses.

Enactment of the bill before the November general elections is a major accomplishment for Congress, especially after the 2008 version of the annual policy bill ran into a series of problems, including a veto of one version, and did not become law until January — more than three months after the fiscal year began.


Rest of article at: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/10/military_defenseauthorization_signed_101408w/%2e