He's back!

[ProSense]

5/1 - Kerry Fights for Fair Military Pay Raise

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 1, 2006

John Kerry Fights for Fair Military Pay Raise

Senator John Kerry (D-Mass.), joined by eight Senate Democrats, has sent a letter to the Senate Armed Services Committee urging the committee to include a fair military pay raise in the Defense Authorization Act.

The President’s budget specifies a 2.2% increase – the smallest pay raise for our military since 1994. Last week the House Armed Services Committee subcommittee on military personnel approved a 2.7% pay raise.

“We need to honor the service of our troops by getting them the pay they deserve – period,” Kerry said. “We can’t ever put a price on what they do, but the proposed increase in the Bush budget doesn’t come close to matching the sacrifice and bravery of our troops and the needs of our military families. I’ll fight hard until a fair pay increase becomes a reality, and I thank my colleagues for joining me in this fight.”


Below is the text of the letter:

The Honorable John Warner
Chairman
The Honorable Carl Levin
Ranking Member
Senate Committee on Armed Services
228 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510

Dear Senator Warner and Senator Levin:

As you begin consideration of the FY 2007 National Defense Authorization Act, we urge you to include a pay increase that meets the needs and reflects the sacrifice of America’s military personnel and their families.

The President’s budget request includes a 2.2% increase in military pay—the smallest increase since FY1994. Such a paltry increase neglects the value of their service and the very real challenges of recruiting and retaining an all-volunteer military in time of war.

The men and women of the American military are doing everything we ask of them—and more. They are being deployed at historic rates, many serving on their second, third, or even fourth combat deployments. In Iraq and Afghanistan, they are working with local and coalition partners to increase security so that those nations can stand on their own, free of tyranny. They are fighting terrorists and working with partners to win the War on Terror. They are deterring aggression in key strategic areas. We have seen American forces give aid to innocent victims of natural disasters, both here in the United States and around the world. We know they stand ready to defend our country, our allies, and our way of life on a moment’s notice.

Surely they deserve a raise of more than 2.2%. As you know, the House Armed Services Committee subcommittee on military personnel approved a 2.7% pay raise earlier this week.

Last year, the Army, the Army National Guard, and the Army Reserve all failed to reach their recruiting targets. The Army, in fact, fell 6,700 recruits short in 2005—its biggest shortfall since 1979. Individuals choose to serve for many reasons: patriotism, a sense of duty, a desire to defend their country and make the world a better place. But we also know that adequate pay is one of the requirements of maintaining a professional, all-volunteer military.

In recent years, Congress has relied on a formula to increase military pay by 0.5% above the Employment Cost Index (ECI). This year, the administration’s request is only equal to the ECI while energy costs soar and their impact on family budgets grow. Congress must do better.

Sincerely,


John Kerry
Edward M. Kennedy
Richard Durbin
Jeff Bingaman
Tim Johnson
Christopher Dodd
Mark Dayton
Barack Obama
Frank Lautenberg

http://www.senatedemocrats.net/node/885

:loveya: :loveya: :loveya: :loveya: :loveya: :loveya:

[Mass]

1. No, he was not there today. Did not vote.

but he has been having PR throughout last week as well. He had a letter to Frist on Thursday, among other things and the sbc website has his prepared remarks concerning the hearing last week, though he was not there. Reid filed bills for him throughout the week.

I just hope he will be back in the Senate tomorrow and will speak on the emergency bill (and there is the cloture vote as well). This is too important not to say something.

http://www.senatedemocrats.net/taxonomy/term/31/9

http://sbc.senate.gov/democrat/record.cfm?id=254779

Important letter, though.

[ProSense]

2. Tay mentioned he wasn't there.

I was referring to the first official release/news since the family's tragic loss.

[TayTay]

3. He's had a tough week. Maybe he decided to stay and extra night

You know, not hurry stuff. Sen. Kerry has an excellent staff that knows what needs doing. Surely the guy can tke a couple of days to be with his daughters in this time of need without having to cut it too close.

Maybe he can watch the Sawx tonight with one of his daughters. Just talk. Sounds nice to me.

Arrrrgggghhhhh. Scratch that. Just talk.

[karynnj]

4. Also, we have no idea what the family's plans were

They may very well have had a service and burial in Montana where she and her husband lived. Her husband, not the Senator, would likely be the one making those decisions. Or as you say, he may just be spending the time with his daughters that he and they need. (Though they divorced, it's likely that he still cared a lot about her.)