U.S. Rep. Dale Strong criticized the Biden administration Wednesday for coming out against a plan that would raise the pay for junior enlisted servicemembers.
“President Biden supports a $15 minimum wage, which comes out to several hundred dollars more a month than our junior enlisted currently make in basic pay,” Strong (R-Monrovia) posted. “Why is he opposed to the bipartisan Quality of Life panel’s recommendation to give junior enlisted troops a crucial raise?”
President Biden supports a $15 minimum wage, which comes out to several hundred dollars more a month than our junior enlisted currently make in basic pay.
Why is he opposed to the bipartisan Quality of Life panel's recommendation to give junior enlisted troops a crucial raise? https://t.co/9iXJKi1xqW
— Dale W. Strong (@RepDaleStrong) June 12, 2024
The pay raise is a part of The Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement and National Defense Authorization Act for FY 2025. The legislation is on the floor this week and expected to be voted on this Friday.
The White House released a statement saying, “The Administration is strongly committed to taking care of our Servicemembers and their families, and appreciates the Committee’s concern for the needs of the most junior enlisted members, but strongly opposes making a significant, permanent change to the basic pay schedule before the completion of the Fourteenth Quadrennial Review of Military Compensation (QRMC).”
RELATED: Rep. Mike Rogers: 20% raise for junior enlisted servicemembers included in 2025 NDAA
In a statement to Yellowhammer News, Strong, who sits on the House Armed Services Committee, said the pay raise is also necessary because of the inflation cause by the president.
“Pay for junior enlisted servicemembers can’t keep pace with Biden’s inflation, and is not competitive with the private sector,” he argued. “No servicemember should have to decide between serving their country or providing for their family.”
The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) authorizes policy and appropriations for the Department of Defense, nuclear weapons programs within the Department of Energy, and other defense-related activities. More than 700 amendments were negotiated. The NDAA, which authorizes $850 billion for the Defense Department. The FY25 NDAA – when signed into law – will mark the 64th consecutive defense authorization.
Unlike President Biden, @HouseGOP supports a 19.5% pay raise for our junior enlisted servicemembers 🇺🇸
— Armed Services GOP (@HASCRepublicans) June 12, 2024
Yaffee is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts “The Yaffee Program” weekdays 9-11 a.m. on WVNN. You can follow him on X @Yaffee
