110 HCON 162 EH: Expressing the sense of Congress that U.S. House of Representatives 0 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

IV 110th CONGRESS 1st Session H. CON. RES. 162 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Expressing the sense of Congress that Congress and the President should increase basic pay for members of the Armed Forces.

Whereas the United States continues to rely extensively upon the members of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard who are deployed overseas and stationed at military support installations within the United States; Whereas members of the Armed Forces, regardless of branch of service or whether serving in an active or a reserve component, have carried out their mission objectives with valor, distinction, and steadfast dedication to the cause of liberty and democracy; Whereas more than 1,600,000 members of the Armed Forces have deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan, and many of these members have served multiple deployments; Whereas there are more than 3,000,000 family members and other dependents of the members of the Armed Forces serving on active duty and in reserve components; Whereas nearly 50 percent of the members of the Armed Forces, who are deployed away from their permanent duty stations, have left families with children behind; Whereas over 50 percent of the members of the Armed Forces who are currently deployed in Iraq are married; Whereas military families have persevered in the face of challenges and continue to provide critically important comfort and care and numerous other contributions to their loved ones deployed overseas or stationed within the United States; Whereas there currently is a 4 percent gap between the pay increases provided to members of the Armed Forces and the pay increases provided to private sector employees; and Whereas it is in the national interest of the United States to offer to the members of the Armed Forces comparable pay to that which the civilian sector provides in order to retain highly qualified men and women in uniform and to faithfully reward their valiant service to the United States: Now, therefore, be it

That it is the sense of Congress that— (1) Congress and the President should increase basic pay for members of all components of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard by 3.5 percent, effective January 1, 2008; and (2)Congress and the President should increase the basic pay for members of all components of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard during fiscal years 2009 through 2012 by at least ½ of 1 percent more than the raise calculated under the Employment Cost Index (ECI).

Passed the House of Representatives November 6, 2007. Lorraine C. Miller, Clerk.