12.17.13

As Senate Cuts Off Debate On Spending Deal, Sessions Discovers Military Retiree Provision Worse Than First Thought

WASHINGTON—U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL), Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee, issued the following statement today regarding a provision in the so-called Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013 that cuts the pensions of disabled military veterans to fuel much larger spending increases elsewhere:

"It has been asserted that the controversial change to military retirees’ pensions affects those who are ‘working-age’ and ‘still in their working years,’ with the clear suggestion being that these individuals are able to work. That’s why I was deeply troubled when my staff and I discovered that even individuals who have been wounded and suffered a service-related disability could see their pensions reduced under this plan.

It is unthinkable that this provision would be included in a deal that spares current civilian workers from the same treatment. An equivalent amount of savings and more can be easily found, and I hope the Senate will move to address the unbalanced treatment of our servicemembers before considering the legislation any further."