A bipartisan push in Congress that aims to provide junior enlisted troops with a 19.5% pay raise is facing a significant obstacle: the White House. The proposal, which supplements the 4.5% raise requested by President Joe Biden in his budget, would grant junior enlisted troops an additional 15% pay increase. The estimated cost of this raise over the period from 2025 to 2029 is $24.4 million.
The House Armed Services Committee overwhelmingly approved the pay raise as part of the 2024 National Defense Authorization Act. Committee Chair Mike Rogers, R-Ala., emphasized that the package is grounded in research conducted by the Bipartisan Quality of Life Panel in collaboration with the Defense Department.
Rogers expressed concern about military families relying on food banks, SNAP and WIC to put food on the table. According to the Servicemember Compensation Report, 25% of service members face food insecurity and their pay has not kept pace with inflation since 2020.
The White House Budget Office reaffirmed its commitment to service members and their families but opposes making a significant, permanent change to the basic pay schedule before the Pentagon completes its quadrennial compensation review.
In January, service members received a 5.2% basic pay increase, the largest since 2003, according to the Biden administration. Rogers criticized Biden for holding off on making the change.
“Instead of supporting this commonsense proposal, President Biden is once again turning his back on our service members,” Rogers said. “I believe wholeheartedly that the brave Americans who serve in our armed forces shouldn’t have to worry about making ends meet, unfortunately, President Biden doesn’t feel the same.”
Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., highlighted the struggles of junior enlisted troops in affording housing costs. He praised the proposed pay hike as a bold step to support service members, which would aid recruitment and retention efforts.
The House of Representatives will likely vote on the defense bill on Friday, June 14. The Senate is also working on similar legislation.