[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 87 (Friday, May 25, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Page S6963]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

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SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 34--EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF CONGRESS THAT 
CONGRESS AND THE PRESIDENT SHOULD INCREASE BASIC PAY FOR MEMBERS OF THE 
                              ARMED FORCES

  Mr. KERRY submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was 
referred to the Committee on Armed Services:

                             S. Con Res. 34

       Whereas the United States continues to rely extensively 
     upon the personnel 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 uniformed services personnel, regardless of branch 
     of service or whether serving in the 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 1,600,000 uniformed service men and women have 
     deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan, many of whom have served 
     multiple deployments;
       Whereas there are currently more than 3,000,000 family 
     members and dependents of those serving on active duty and 
     reserve components;
       Whereas nearly 40 percent of the members of the Armed 
     Forces, while deployed away from their permanent duty 
     stations, have left families with children behind;
       Whereas over \1/2\ of all service men and women who have 
     deployed to 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 across the Nation;
       Whereas there currently is a 4 percent gap between the pay 
     of our service men and women and the private sector, and;
       Whereas it is in our national interest to offer to the 
     members of the Armed Forces comparable pay to that which the 
     civilian sector provides in order to retain our highly 
     qualified men and women in uniform and to faithfully reward 
     their valiant service to our Nation: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives 
     concurring), 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, 
     and Marine Corps by 3.5 percent, effective January 1, 2008; 
     and
       (2) Congress and the President should provide a special 
     survivor indemnity allowance for persons affected by required 
     Survivor Benefit Plan annuity offsets for dependency and 
     indemnity compensation.

  Mr. KERRY. Mr. President, today I am introducing a resolution to 
insure that our troops get the pay raise they deserve. We are all proud 
of our men and women in the American military who continue to perform 
magnificently in Iraq, Afghanistan and around the world. They represent 
the best that this country has to offer, and America owes them and 
their families a special debt of honor and gratitude. In light of their 
sacrifice, my resolution simply states that the Congress and the 
President should support a 3.5-percent increase in military pay in 2008 
and provide a special survivor indemnity allowance to help American 
military families.
  Unfortunately, these provisions are opposed by the Bush 
administration.
  On May 16, the Office of Management and Budget's Statement of 
Administration Policy for the House fiscal year 2008 Department of 
Defense Authorization bill opposes section 644 of the bill, which would 
pay military families a monthly special survivor indemnity allowance 
from the Department of Defense Military Retirement Fund, calling the 
existing benefits ``sufficient.'' The Statement of Administration 
Policy also ``strongly opposes'' the provision of the House bill which 
provides a 0.5-percent increase in military pay above the President's 
proposed 3.0 percent across-the-board pay increase, calling it 
``unnecessary.''
  I am concerned that the Bush administration's actions have failed to 
appropriately honor our military families who have made the ultimate 
sacrifice. These actions also stand in direct contrast to the will of 
the American people who support all efforts to support our troops.
  Just go to the Military Times' own blog and read what the troops 
themselves say, more eloquently than any politician could put it: ``If 
there is someone in the administration that feels that we, the hard 
working American soldiers, don't need additional pay raises, then maybe 
they should get from behind their desk and pick up a gun and vest and 
go stand guard at the entry control points in Iraq. And while they are 
out there, lets take away their 6 figure income and give them $3.50 per 
day on top of anywhere from $15 to $45K per year. For all that we give 
to keep our country safe, the administration should at least want to 
help us eliminate any burden we may have financially. No I'm not saying 
make us rich and no one who enters the armed services expects to ever 
be rich but we don't expect to have to take out loans just to put food 
on the table for our families either.''
  On this issue of fundamental fairness, the administration told 
Congress to back down. On this question, the troops will not back down 
and neither will we.
  Those who have stood for us should know that we stand with them, 
today and always. Maintaining these provisions can do something to ease 
their burden, but truly supporting our troops requires that we act not 
just as individuals, but as a nation. I ask all my colleagues to 
support this resolution to honor our troops and our military families.

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