Troops lose benefits with bill in limbo

Congress is vowing to provide troops with benefits after President Bush's veto of the 2008 defense authorization bill.


Troops lose benefits with bill in limbo
By Rick Maze - Staff writer
Posted : Saturday Jan 12, 2008 12:24:50 EST

In the wake of an unexpected presidential veto of the 2008 defense authorization bill, White House officials and congressional leaders are vowing to provide retroactive pay and benefits increases so service members and their families do not suffer harm from a political dispute that has little to do with military policy.

But the fix will not be fast, clean or complete. Like Humpty Dumpty in the children’s nursery rhyme, the Bush administration and congressional aides preparing a new version of the defense bill are learning that some of the damage cannot be easily repaired. There is no way to turn back the clock for some things, such as creating entirely new programs to help combat-wounded service members.

The Dec. 28 pocket veto of the defense policy bill, in which President Bush simply refused to sign the $696.4 billion measure sent to him by Congress, came without warning because little attention had been paid to a provision that has to do with the freezing of U.S.-held assets of foreign governments in lawsuits by American citizens.

As a result of the veto, service members will receive a 3 percent pay increase in their mid-January paychecks, not the 3.5 percent promised in the bill. And bonus and special pay programs were widely disrupted as of midnight Dec. 31, when the services lost the authority to pay new enlistment and re-enlistment bonuses and incentive pays and bonuses for many career fields, including aviators, medical personnel and submariners.

White House deputy press secretary Tony Fratto said administration officials would work with Congress on a new bill that includes a retroactive 3.5 percent pay raise so that troops do not lose any money.


Rest of article at: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/01/army_vetonext_080114w/