[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 9 (Wednesday, January 24, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E78]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          ENDING COLA INEQUITY

                                 ______


                             HON. SAM FARR

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, January 24, 1996

  Mr. FARR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to discuss an issue of great 
importance to our Nation's military retirees: COLA equity.
  The thousands of veterans and military retirees in my district have 
repeatedly asked that the inequity in COLA's for military and Federal 
civilians be ended--most recently during a veterans' town hall meeting 
I held last week.
  This House has been unprecedented in dedicating itself toward ending 
the problem of inequity in military cost of living adjustments for 
military retirees. Early last year, legislation was introduced by my 
colleague, Mr. Jim Moran, to end COLA inequity. The House also included 
a provision ending the disparity in COLA's in the budget reconciliation 
bill--a provision which, unfortunately, was removed by the Senate. In 
response, my Republican colleague, Mr. Bill Young, introduced a new, 
fast-track bill to accomplish the same task. I am proud to have 
cosponsored both Mr. Young's and Mr. Moran's bills, and I applaud the 
tenacity with which the House leadership has pursued this important 
matter.
  A provision to end the COLA inequity problem was included in the 
conference report of the Department of Defense authorization bill, 
which the House approved today. While I strongly supported the 
provision, I could not support the entire bill, a bill which mandated a 
$7 million increase in defense spending over the President's original 
budget.
  This spending increase comes at a time when other Federal programs--
especially programs serving veterans--are suffering from serious budget 
cuts. For example, last year's Veterans Affairs budget, which provides 
for medical care for millions of veterans and military retirees and the 
construction and improvement of VA medical facilities, was cut by 
nearly $1 billion from 1994. At the very least, we cannot speak about 
mutual sacrifice in ending the deficit at the same time that we 
actually increase spending in defense.
  I will continue to support the House's legislative efforts to remove 
the COLA inequity once and for all. Our Nation's military retirees 
deserve no less.

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