Congressman Faleomavaega announced today that the a
conference committee report on authorizing funding for the Department of
Defense passed the U.S. House of Representatives on October 11, 2000.
The bill authorizes $21.1 billion more than was appropriated in FY2000,
and includes a 3.7% pay raise for active duty military personnel (including
reservists when on active duty for training and weekend drills), and improved
military health care options.
“This is a good bill which will help our active duty service members,
retirees, reservists, and senior ROTC cadets,” said Faleomavaega.
“I have always felt that our service members on active duty are underpaid
for the demanding work they are asked to perform, and I am glad to see
that this is partially addressed with the 3.7% pay raise. This still
leaves service members with salaries 11% below their civilian counterparts,
but it is a step in the right direction.”
“The bill also keeps the promise of providing a lifetime of health
care benefits to military retirees and their families by making the TRICARE
program permanent, even for retirees over 64 years old. Also, all
retirees over 64 will be able to obtain routine medical prescriptions by
mail or from network pharmacies with no enrollment cost,” continued the
Congressman.
Faleomavaega also noted that “DOD will reimburse TRICARE beneficiaries
for their reasonable expenses incurred while traveling more than 100 miles
from where they normally receive their primary care services.”
Other initiatives included in the bill are:
* Increased monthly stipends for cadets in the senior ROTC program
to $250 per month
* Accelerated reduction of out-of-pocket housing costs
* Targeted supplemental food allowance for the most needy personnel
* Increased minimum housing standards for young families
* Authorization to participate in a military Thrift Savings Plan
* Reduced out-of-pocket moving costs for young families
The bill will next be considered by the Senate, where passage is
considered likely but is not assured. Anyone with questions
on the contents of the bill may contact Martin Yerick in my Washington,
D.C. office at 202-225-8577, or via email at faleomavaega @mail.house.gov |
![[106th Congress]](/faleomavaega/press/press_2000/images/106.jpg)
