[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 180 (Wednesday, December 18, 2013)]
[Senate]
[Page S8981]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                         SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

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     SENATE RESOLUTION 323--EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE SENATE ON 
MAINTAINING THE CURRENT ANNUAL ADJUSTMENT IN RETIRED PAY FOR MEMBERS OF 
                  THE ARMED FORCES UNDER THE AGE OF 62

  Mr. CHAMBLISS (for himself, Mr. Isakson, Ms. Murkowski, Mr. McCain, 
Mr. Hoeven, Mr. Johnson of Wisconsin, Ms. Collins, Mr. Blunt, and Mr. 
Portman) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
Committee on Armed Services:

                              S. Res. 323

       Whereas is the responsibility of Congress to get the fiscal 
     house of government in order, and all government spending 
     should be examined to achieve that goal;
       Whereas HJ Res. 59 (113th Congress), a bipartisan budget 
     proposal, is a first step is this direction, though it fails 
     to address broader government spending issues;
       Whereas retirees from the Armed Forces, both those who 
     served a full career and those medically retired and their 
     survivors, have provided great service and sacrificed much 
     for our country;
       Whereas HJ Res. 59 (113h Congress) disproportionally 
     targets these military retirees in the name of fiscal 
     responsibility; and
       Whereas, while the decisions regarding future spending cuts 
     may be difficult and painful, the solution should require 
     contributions from all Americans: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that--
       (1) retirees from the Armed Forces should not unfairly bear 
     the burden of excessive government spending;
       (2) military retirees earned the benefits they were 
     promised upon entering military, and it is the duty of the 
     Senate to protect them; and
       (3) the Senate should seek alternatives to the provisions 
     of section 403 of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2103 
     (introduced as HJ Res. 59 (113th Congress)) before the 
     effective date of that section and the amendments made by 
     that section.

  Mr. CHAMBLISS. Mr. President, I rise today to submit a sense of the 
Senate resolution to address the issue of military retirement pay in 
this budget proposal.
  It is the responsibility of Congress to get our fiscal house in order 
and that all government spending should be examined to achieve that 
goal. However, this budget proposal disproportionately targets the 
retirees of the U.S. Armed Forces in the name of fiscal responsibility.
  We, as a body, acknowledge military retirees, both those who served 
full careers and those who have medically retired and their survivors. 
They have provided great service and sacrificed much for our country. 
Making decisions regarding future spending cuts would be difficult and 
painful, but the solution should require contributions from all 
Americans, not just our servicemembers who have sacrificed so much.
  Therefore, I, along with Senator Isakson--and I am pleased to say 
Senator Murkowski and Senator McCain--have joined in offering a sense 
of the Senate resolution that military retirees should not unfairly 
bear the burden of our excessive government spending.
  Our military retirees earned the benefits they were promised upon 
entering the military, and it is our duty to protect them.
  Mr. ISAKSON. Mr. President, I am pleased to join Senator Chambliss in 
this sense-of-the-Senate resolution. It is absolutely important that we 
not disproportionately burden those who have served us and who have 
saved us, and our veterans have done both. As we deal with the 
difficult decisions in the years ahead on getting our debt and our 
deficit in order, it is important that we all share part of the burden, 
that we all put our shoulder to the yoke and we make sure we don't 
disproportionately put it on our veterans or on any segment of our 
society. We are all in this together. But, most importantly, we are all 
here today because of the sacrifice of our men and women in harm's way, 
and we cannot single them out for disproportionate savings in terms of 
the budget and the deficit.
  I commend Senator Chambliss on his leadership, and I am happy to join 
him in this resolution.

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