[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 67 (Tuesday, May 6, 2014)]
[Senate]
[Page S2721]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. KAINE (for himself and Mr. Cornyn):
  S. 2294. A bill to require a survey of the preferences of members of 
the Armed Forces regarding military pay and benefits; to the Committee 
on Armed Services.
  Mr. KAINE. Mr. President, today I am introducing, with Senator 
Cornyn, the Servicemembers' Compensation Empowerment Act of 2014. This 
bipartisan legislation will direct the Department of Defense's (DoD) 
Military Retirement and Modernization Commission to formally survey 
military personnel on pay and benefits, and to take relative 
preferences into account as the Commission prepares its 
recommendations.
  Virginia is more connected to the military than any other State. As I 
have traveled throughout the Commonwealth, I have had the opportunity 
to meet and discuss military benefits with servicemembers, veterans, 
and their families. The overriding concern on the part of our military 
and their families is sequestration. It has forced the military to 
allow the budget to drive strategy, rather than strategy to drive our 
budget. As a member of both the Senate Armed Services and Budget 
Committees, I firmly believe that all budget proposals should be 
considered carefully in light of the need for deficit redaction, the 
need to maintain a strong military, and the responsibility we have to 
support our servicemembers with resources to complete their mission.
  The Military Compensation and Retirement Modernization Commission was 
established by the fiscal year 2013 National Defense Authorization Act, 
to conduct a review of military compensation and retirement systems and 
to make recommendations to enable the quality of life of our military 
and their families and achieve fiscal sustainability for the future. As 
of now, no official study has been conducted by the Commission to 
determine the relative value of compensation and benefit programs to 
the military personnel who depend on them. Under my legislation, the 
Commission would be required to survey randomly selected members of the 
military concerning basic pay, housing allowances, bonuses and special 
pay, dependent healthcare and retirement pay and report its results to 
Congress.
  Servicemembers deserve to have their voices heard as changes to the 
pay and benefits packages they depend on most are considered. By 
formally surveying military personnel on the benefits they value most, 
we can ensure the Military Retirement and Modernization Commission and 
members of Congress have the best possible understanding of how cost-
saving proposals would impact our servicemembers and their families, 
allowing them to make decisions with evidence-based analysis.
  This bill gives servicemembers a voice in the process, and will 
assure that reforms will take a scientific study into account. We must 
balance the competing needs to control rising costs with ensuring we 
meet the needs of military personnel and their families.

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