Vote is delayed by infighting over other areas of the Bill. Seems the efforts to bypass the war powers act by the administration aren't liked by a lot of people.
I have read a little about HR1540 and it seems a lot of people are afraid of this bill transferring too much power to the executive branch. The way this bill is put together makes you wonder if 20 people didnt just have a bunch of ideas and they threw them all together in one bill for a signature. This bill covers so many different areas of funding that it appears nobody has read and understands it. It covers funding for a jet engine, storage for parts of another aircraft platform, border security funding, end limits for personnel of Air Force, army, etc, funding for ten different areas of judication and it seems like endless adding or subtracting of funds for twenty different things. This almost seems like the 112th congress is throwing ideas around and putting things down as a bill. I can see why there is disagreement. This bill is so far from transparent it is ridiculous. How any congressional member can vote for this is beyond me. It does cover funding for military health but also fifty other things. I cant see how it ever got out of committee. It is a mess when you look at all of it.
H.R. 1540 passed the House via voice vote on the 26th of May. On Jun 6, 2011 it was received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services. That is where it remains.
I am hoping that this bill doesnt just die there. that is the norm of late. There was also a piece of legislation in there that would allow for fairness in disability pay so that the individuals who are 50% disabled have there disability pay not taken from their retired pay and allow those with less than 50% disablity the equal fairness of receiving their full retirement check plus disability pay. I am told this will never pass as it has been in committee since the 107th session of congress.
H.R. 1540 will not die in the senate, it is the bill that funds the military. However, the changes made to link Tricare increases to COLA increases could be changed. The change might not be to the benefit of Tricare recipients. Let your opinions be heard! Contact your Senators.
it looks like any future pay raise will go directly to pay for the increase in TRICARE. that sucks. see the link.
http://militaryadvantage.military.com/2011/06/senate-okays-pay-and-tricare-fee-increase/
Hal, What the Senate mark-up does is link any increase in Tricare fees to the COLA rate increase. So if we get a 3.0% increase in pay, the Tricare Fee will increase 3.0%
Calculating that out on a $24,000 annual retainer, the pay increase amounts to $720 annually or $60 a month. The Tricare individual rate increase approved is $2.50 per month or an increase from $230 to $260 for FY2012. In the hypothetical above a 3.0% linked increase would Move the annual individual rate from $260 to $267.80... a $7.80 per year increase.
Status: Bill passed both chambers. Next: The bill may now proceed to a conference committee of senators and representatives to work out differences in the versions of the bill each chamber approved. [Last Updated: Dec 6, 2011 6:11AM]
