THORNBERRY DENOUNCES PRESIDENT'S DECISION ON TROOP PAY

WASHINGTON - Today, the President announced that he will give the troops a 1.6% raise, which is below the 2.1% that is mandated by law and currently in the House passed National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017.  Chairman Mac Thornberry had the following to say in regards to the President's decision:

"Few people are more deserving of a full pay raise than our men and women in uniform.  Yet, at the same time President Obama is proposing significant increases in military deployments and expanding existing missions, he is cutting the pay raise for our troops for the fourth year in a row. The House-passed NDAA provides the full raise our troops are entitled to, while blocking the President’s ability to reduce troop pay again.  I hope this provision becomes law when the Conference bill comes to the House and Senate floor.”
 
BACKGROUND:

The House-passed FY 17 NDAA fully funds the 2.1% pay raise our troops are entitled to under law while blocking the President’s ability to reduce troop pay. The lower pay increase mandated by the President means a young military family would receive about $336 less this year than the law provides.  Over four years of a lower raise, the family will have lost between $1,500 and $2,000.
 
E-4 over 3 years of service
2016 monthly Basic Pay:  $2,267.10
2017 monthly Basic Pay with 1.6% increase:  $2,303.37
2017 monthly Basic Pay with 2.1% increase:  $2,314.71 Monthly difference between 1.6% and 2.1% increase:  $11.34
 
O-3 over 6 years of service
2016 monthly Basic Pay:  $5,540.70
2017 monthly Basic Pay with 1.6% increase:  $5,629.35
2017 monthly Basic Pay with 2.1% increase:  $5,657.05 Monthly difference between 1.6% and 2.1% increase:  $27.70