Lawmakers admitted they made a mistake in cutting the retirement benefits of disabled veterans and vowed to work on a fix after passing the budget deal.
“This technical error certainly can, should and will be addressed,” Sen. Patty Murray, Washington Democrat and one of the authors of the budget deal, said Wednesday on the Senate floor.
The budget proposal will cut the cost-of-living adjustment to 1 percent below the consumer price index for military retirees under age 62. It is expected to save about $6 billion over 10 years and goes into effect in 2015. It seems lawmakers did not realize the cut would apply to all retirees, including those who had been medically retired due to an injury in the line of duty.
House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan, Wisconsin Democrat, supports Ms. Murray’s push to undo the retirement cuts for disabled military retirees.
“Senator Murray intends to introduce legislation to exclude medically retired and survivor’s benefits from section 403 of the agreement. Chairman Ryan supports her proposal—and a pledge by the Senate and House Armed Services Committees to take a harder look at military-compensation reform,” according to at statement from Will Allison, a spokesman for Mr. Ryan.
Some lawmakers have said they will work in early 2014 to do away with the cuts for all military retirees. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, New Hampshire Democrat, introduced legislation on Tuesday to replace the savings by closing offshore tax loopholes.
The Senate is expected to vote on the two-year, $1.012 trillion budget deal from Ms. Murray and Rep. Paul Ryan, Wisconsin Republican, on Wednesday afternoon.
• Jacqueline Klimas can be reached at jklimas@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.