Cuts to military retirement increases likely to become law, but critics vow to keep fighting
Stars and Stripes December 17, 2013
WASHINGTON — On Tuesday morning, veterans advocates and their Senate Republican backers vowed to fight until the end to stop a budget deal that includes cuts to military retirement increases.
The end came about 30 minutes later.
A 67-33 procedural vote in the Senate shortly after that press conference put the budget deal on a likely path to becoming law this week. Now, those opponents will have to gear up for a fight next year to repeal or replace the cuts.
The budget plan – a compromise between Democrat and Republican leaders – would avert another government shutdown next month by capping federal spending for fiscal 2014 and 2015 at about $1 trillion. The House approved the plan last week. After the procedural vote, the Senate was expected to give final approval late Tuesday or Wednesday.
The compromise replaces the mandated sequestration cuts created during a summer 2011 fiscal fight with alternate budget trims and several new fees and revenues
http://www.stripes.com/cuts-to-military-retirement-increases-likely-to-become-law-but-critics-vow-to-keep-fighting-1.258064
Veterans' bill voted down by GOP as Senate Democrats proclaim 'New Low'
Democrats fall two votes short of passing bill that would help unemployed veterans amid accusations GOP played politics
Harry Reid, the majority leader of the Senate, said the bill had met 'one Republican stall tactic after another'. Photograph: Harry Hamburg/AP
Republicans have voted down legislation that would have established a $1bn jobs program to put unemployed veterans back to work as firefighters and police officers and in public work projects.
They objected to the cost of the bill, which they said violated spending limits agreed to last year in Congress.
Democrats and veterans groups say its cost are fully offset.
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/sep/19/veterans-bill-voted-down-us-senate
GOP after voting against the $6 Billion Dollar Jobs bill have been playing a political football with Veterans trying to get the High Ground and stop being the Enemy to all that are not considered the Rich and Powerful!