GOP Scores Victory over COLA Benefits for Veteran Retirees.....

By attaching a provision that would reverse the cost-of-living cuts to some veterans' benefits, Boehner hopes to make it easier for Democrats to give their support, since most Democrats also support restoring the benefits.

Congress moves to reverse budget cuts to veterans' benefits - latimes.com

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The vote — 221 to 201 — relied almost entirely on Democrats in the Republican-controlled House to carry the measure and represented the first debt ceiling increase since 2009 that was not attached to other legislation. Only 28 Republicans voted yes, and only two Democrats voted no.

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MTAtech said:

Most Democrats were in favor of the measure. Thus, it was no Republican coup d'état.



Only 28 Republicans voted yes on the final bill.

From the New York Times:

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MMC said:

All our Veterans will not be Forgetting Senator Kelly Ayotte.....going forward. She was Awesome on this issue and had her own Stuff to go as well. 99% certainty on repeal of what the Democrats originally wrote and Obama Approved!

Senator Lindsey Graham On Repealing The Career Military COLA Cut: A 99% Certainty Of Repeal.....

Senator Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) called the program twice today to update the progress in the Senate towards acceptance of the House bill repealing the unjust retroactive cut to the COLA of the career military. Here’s the audio and transcript of his second call in which he begins with a statement on his estimate of probable success Wednesday:

HH: Senator Graham, what do you have to tell us?

LG: 99%.

LG: Okay, let me tell you exactly the issue. It’s a technical issue. The House passed the COLA bill that basically sets aside the military COLA reduction. It’s paid for by extending sequestration a year. But the pay-for doesn’t score until April the 15th, so this is a technicality, basically. April 15th of this year is when the budget allows is to be scored. So you can waive that point of order. I’m confident that if anybody objected to not going forward now because of an April technicality, that that would be overridden.

but at the end of the day, the veterans groups and talk radio, and people on the left spoke with the same voice, and Democrats found it hard to explain why you wouldn’t want to pay for this change, because it’s only $6 billion over ten years. Republicans found it hard to suggest this was fair. So the two sides came together. Republicans couldn’t sell this as fair, because it’s not, and Democrats couldn’t explain why you shouldn’t pay for it, because you should. And I think that is a big win for the country.

LG: What we will do, this is a single piece of legislation, a few pages, not hundreds of pages stuck in a budget deal. This is a simple piece of legislation to understand. It’s not part of a big overall budget effort. This is a single shot solution. Yes, I’ll let you know tomorrow.

LG: It’s not done until it’s signed by the President, but I’ve never felt better about it, and it all came together in the last hour because Kelly now went on the floor and just berated our Democratic friends for not wanting to pay for it, and we also berated some of her Republican colleagues for not wanting to fix it.....snip~

Senator Lindsey Graham On Repealing The Career Military COLA Cut: A 99% Certainty Of Repeal « The Hugh Hewitt Show

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j-mac said:

This is good news....

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MMC said:

Indeed it is my brutha..... for all our Bruthas and Cuzins. No matter which way they lead off. Sua Sponte.

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TheNextEra said:

I'm glad for the veterans, but I think this was a successful ploy by the Dems. Take away something that they actually wanted and then when they go to the table they "graciously" say they'll put it back on the table if the GOP agrees to the debt ceiling hike.

I think the GOP got played on this one, but glad the veterans came out on top.

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Risky Thicket said:

Congress works together! Amazing, and on a bill that supports veterans. Bravo!

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Risky Thicket said:

Does anyone have a link to how members voted?

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MMC said:

I am looking for it as they are listing up each Democrat that has voted for the Repeal as well as any Repubs that Opposed.....these are off of WN.com.


Congressman Tim Ryan Votes to Fully Restore Military Retiree COLAs - Demo Ohio 13 District.

BROWNLEY VOTES TO REPEAL MILITARY RETIREE COLA CUT - Demo

Griffin Votes to Reverse Cuts to Veterans COLAs (Tim Griffin)

Ross Votes to Restore Cost-of-Living Adjustments for Military Retirees

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Risky Thicket said:

Thanks. I am looking for how the Arizona members voted but I am unable to find it as it was not a roll call vote.

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MMC said:

Mornin MTT. :2wave: Yeah that was on the Debt Ceiling.....which still doesn't change the facts that the Democrats were attempting to strip veterans of their benefits while saying they would put up 6 with the federal Workers. Who wrote the bill.....again. Take a look at the vote again. 326 90.....now go and look at how many are Repubs. :mrgreen:

Course a few Democrats woke up and saw what was talking place by trying to divide veteran retirees and veterans seniors. See all that dividing up people, always ends up coming back to haunt them.

Those Republicans that voted against the Vets.....will learn what happened at election time.

As for the Democrats.....now they will scrambled to save theirs asses since O-Care is a massive failure.....all the while breaking from Obama.

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Republicans are going to have to own this. Paul Ryan drafted it. John Boehner pushed it through and didn’t give even the 72 hours he promised he’d give for people to look through his legislation. Maybe had John Boehner spent more time reading through the legislation instead of blasting conservatives for opposing cuts to veterans’ benefits and tax increases he could have done something.

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MMC said:

All our Veterans will not be Forgetting Senator Kelly Ayotte.....going forward. She was Awesome on this issue and had her own Stuff to go as well. 99% certainty on repeal of what the Democrats originally wrote and Obama Approved!

Senator Lindsey Graham On Repealing The Career Military COLA Cut: A 99% Certainty Of Repeal.....

Senator Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) called the program twice today to update the progress in the Senate towards acceptance of the House bill repealing the unjust retroactive cut to the COLA of the career military. Here’s the audio and transcript of his second call in which he begins with a statement on his estimate of probable success Wednesday:

HH: Senator Graham, what do you have to tell us?

LG: 99%.

LG: Okay, let me tell you exactly the issue. It’s a technical issue. The House passed the COLA bill that basically sets aside the military COLA reduction. It’s paid for by extending sequestration a year. But the pay-for doesn’t score until April the 15th, so this is a technicality, basically. April 15th of this year is when the budget allows is to be scored. So you can waive that point of order. I’m confident that if anybody objected to not going forward now because of an April technicality, that that would be overridden.

but at the end of the day, the veterans groups and talk radio, and people on the left spoke with the same voice, and Democrats found it hard to explain why you wouldn’t want to pay for this change, because it’s only $6 billion over ten years. Republicans found it hard to suggest this was fair. So the two sides came together. Republicans couldn’t sell this as fair, because it’s not, and Democrats couldn’t explain why you shouldn’t pay for it, because you should. And I think that is a big win for the country.

LG: What we will do, this is a single piece of legislation, a few pages, not hundreds of pages stuck in a budget deal. This is a simple piece of legislation to understand. It’s not part of a big overall budget effort. This is a single shot solution. Yes, I’ll let you know tomorrow.

LG: It’s not done until it’s signed by the President, but I’ve never felt better about it, and it all came together in the last hour because Kelly now went on the floor and just berated our Democratic friends for not wanting to pay for it, and we also berated some of her Republican colleagues for not wanting to fix it.....snip~

Senator Lindsey Graham On Repealing The Career Military COLA Cut: A 99% Certainty Of Repeal « The Hugh Hewitt Show

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MTAtech said:

While you said that "Democrats were attempting to strip veterans of their benefits," that's just not true. This is from the conservative website Redstate:

Paul Ryan & the GOP Must Own the Cuts to Veterans Benefits

In the end, most Republican MOCs voted against the final bill. Only 28 voted for it. The bill was carried overwhelmingly by Democrats.

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MMC said:

The GOP made a major move late yesterday. They Attached the COLA to another Rider already Approved by the Democrats. Since Obama threatened to Veto anything added to the Debt Ceiling. Leadership for the GOP caved. Then late yesterday those that wanted the COLA added to the Debt ceiling found another way to get the bill to the Senate.

At the same time Kelly Ayotte.....Immediately Made a move in the Senate for repealing the cuts by the Democrats on Military Veterens. Taking to the floor of the Senate as well.....to gather time. I am really starting to Like this Republican Woman. It worked.....the Senate picked up the rider. Graham and another jumped on it ASAP too.

While Hoyer said he would shut it down.....ooops, what happens there Steny? Veterans and familes all called in on the Reps. Immediate pressure was put on about them leaving town to get away from the storm. It became a freight train and rolled Right thru the House. Then the Senate passed their Measures 94-0.

It was beautiful.....Harry Reid. Couldn't do a damn thing to stop it. Now.....let Obama or any others Democrat or Republican get up and say they want to take away these benefits of those, WHO EARNED IT!!!!!! Huuuuuuuu-ah!

House votes to repeal COLA caps.....

A measure that would repeal caps on annual increases in military retired pay steamed through the House on Tuesday, receiving well over the two-thirds majority required for fast-tracked legislation.

The vote was 326-90.

After announcing earlier in the day they would not tie repeal of the caps on cost-of-living adjustments for retirees to broader legislation to suspend the federal debt ceiling, House Republican leaders then forwarded an amendment on COLA cap repeal as a rider to another unrelated bill that has already been approved by the Senate

Prior to the vote, House Armed Services Committee member Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., said he could not support a measure that pits one group against another for funding support — in this case, Medicare-eligible seniors versus military retirees.

Senators voted unanimously, 94-0, to advance that bill, drafted by Sen. Mark Pryor, D-Ark. Debate on that bill is underway, and senators can offer amendments to offset the lost savings. A vote could come as early as Wednesday.

Either piece of legislation, if approved by both chambers, would undo a section of a previous federal budget deal that wold have reduced annual COLA increases by 1 percentage point for “working age” retirees under 62, starting in late 2015.....snip~

House votes to repeal COLA caps | Army Times | armytimes.com

90.....no matter which party they belong to. Are going to have some election problems. This vote Sticks!

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TheNextEra said:

I'm glad for the veterans, but I think this was a successful ploy by the Dems. Take away something that they actually wanted and then when they go to the table they "graciously" say they'll put it back on the table if the GOP agrees to the debt ceiling hike.

I think the GOP got played on this one, but glad the veterans came out on top.

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Perotista said:

Morning MMC, I do not think any Representative will have any election problem over this military retiree cola vote. Most representatives are in fairly safe districts to begin with. Then the military today makes up less than one percent of the population while retirees are a much larger chunk. But most retirees seem to concentrate themselves in areas around bases and posts. Chances are where there is a fairly large segment within a representatives districts, that representative was already fighting to return the cuts. Besides Americans have a very short attention span or retentive span.

For all those Americans who are avid die hard Democrats, the government shut down of last October is long forgotten. It is ancient history and might as well have happened in 2000 BC instead of 5 months or so ago. The same applies to Benghazi and the IRS scandals. NSA, most Americans could give a hoot, only those who are political active. Those like us who grace sites like DP. This real short retentive span is one reason the GOP must keep the ACA front in center of the public. If they don't, November of 2014 will look more like November of 2012 than November of 2010.

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MMC said:

Yeah there were some Repubs which is why I said it didn't matter which way they Leaned.....it was the Democrats and few Repubs that voted to go after the retirees pension benefits. Course if you understood that contract that was signed and what that document stated. Then you could see why the Demos tried to play with it and then shift the argument to Reservists.

They should have read that fine print with what the Reservists are told in their document. So how does this change the fact that it is a Victory for the Repubs, again? You do understand it is a Political Victory.....correct?


House votes to restore military pensions

Back in December, a deal to fund the federal government led Congress to trim a full percentage point from cost-of-living raises for military retirees starting in 2015, yielding $6.3 billion in savings.

The move sparked outrage among veterans and retiree groups, who accused Congress of "betraying" promises made to those who risked their lives in wars overseas.

On Monday, the Senate voted overwhelmingly -- 94-0 -- to take up the bill. But that doesn't mean everyone is on board. The divide between the parties about whether to pay for the bill could prove insurmountable, especially in an election year.

Several conservative Democrats who are facing tough re-elections in their red-leaning states led their party's fight for a bill that did not include offsets.

"It's true that our country faces difficult fiscal challenges but we cannot balance the budget on the backs of the military men and women who have served us," said Sen. Kay Hagan of North Carolina.....snip~

House passes bill to reinstate pensions for 750,000 military - Feb. 11, 2014

Again.....hence the Repubs riding Pryor the Democrat's, Bill.


Also post 14.....but some Democrats voted against the bill because it would fund the veterans benefits, in part, through further cuts to mandatory domestic spending for social programs they favor.....snip~

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MMC said:

Mornin' Pero. :2wave: I know the MS media and the left would like to spin it so......but you can check the fact-checkers if ya like.


Several conservative Democrats who are facing tough re-elections in their red-leaning states led their party's fight for a bill that did not include offsets.....snip~

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Perotista said:

MMC, most military retirees my age tend to vote Republican. This is because we remember the Democratic Party as the peacenik party. McGovern and Carter. McGovern was a WWII hero, a bomber pilot but that didn’t help him or how he was viewed. Carter is remembered for drastic cuts in the military and making our military a hollow force. But what if forgotten about Carter is he doubled our pay and increased our benefits. The fact Carter was followed by Reagan who built up the military again although he did little for the benefits and pay of the military, it was that built help that Reagan is remembered for and turning a hallow force back into a mighty one.

Now the generation, the WWII generation before me. The military retirees were staunchly Democratic. What defined their voting habits was FDR, Truman and WWII. I will call my generation of military retirees the Vietnam generation, we were defined by Reagan, Carter and McGovern. For most of us the Republicans are viewed as pro defense and military retiree while the Democrats are the peace party, doves, anti defense and mostly anti military. As I pointed out, this is far from the truth, but it is perceptions that matter. The next generation is the Desert Storm generation of military retirees. They were defined by Bush the first and Clinton and to a lesser extent by Reagan. They tend to vote Republican more than Democrat, remember Clinton was the draft dodger and there is still animosity against the Democrats for him although I rate Clinton as a president very high.

How the present active duty members will view the two parties I really do not know. MY grandson is on active duty and for the most part, like my generation while I was in, are pretty much non-political at the point. Political leanings really do not become attached until after one retires. My guess is Bush the second, Obama and who follows him will determine which way this group of military retirees lean. But there will be far less of them than at any time since FDR and WWII as to the numbers of military retirees. They will become far less important in the political scheme of things.

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MMC said:

I would disagree with that assessment over the Vets and most retirees being staunchly Democratic with the WWII Gen......maybe in Democratic bastions. Bout it. Like you I am Vietnam Vet. Yes there are those of the left that are about the Military. So I wont get into semantics about that. That has nothing to do with what has always been part of the Democrat party since its inception.

Who has been controlling the Military since 2008? Can you show in history as much legislation to reduce and dismantle as much of the military as possible? While going after those Veterans that make up 1% with their retiree benefits?

You are Right about one thing.....most now. Don't know how it was back then and they are smaller in numbers and have been moving in that direction. Yet note the expansion of the Fed Civilian Sectors LEO's and the expansion for more personnel, more programs. Okay for monies and benefit packages for themselves, regardless of any crossovers.

Also you need to remember those who gave up the money and luxury to man that wall.....knowing we at least get a little bit of something something after we retired. If and that's if we could survive and live that long to collect any of it. While 99% of others were able to get out there and go for what they know.

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Perotista said:

Basically what I said was from personal experience, also belonging to the VFW and American Legion. When I first went to a VFW meeting, most of its members were the WWII generation and I was one of only a couple of Vietnam Vets there. Almost all were staunchly Democratic, but again being from Georgia, perhaps that was to be expected.

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