Press Release
May 14, 2008
Susan Davis Moves to Improve Benefits for Military Personnel and their Families
Pay raise and tuition assistance for military spouses highlighted
WASHINGTON – As Chairwoman of the Military Personnel Subcommittee, Congresswoman Susan Davis successfully pushed for a pay raise for military personnel and rejected fee increases for those enrolled in the military health care program. These quality of life provisions, and others, were included the defense authorization bill approved by the House Armed Services Committee.
“The military personnel provisions included in the defense authorization bill continue our efforts enhance and improve the quality of life for our service members and their families,” said Davis. “Our service members and their families are being tested and challenged as the conflicts in Middle East continue for its sixth year. Hopefully we can make other aspects of their lives a little bit easier.”
Davis and her subcommittee blocked a proposal by the Bush Administration to increase fees for the pharmacy benefit for military beneficiaries, especially military retirees some of whom rely on such benefits for affordable prescription drugs.
Another military personnel subcommittee provision established a tuition assistance program for eligible military spouses to develop careers that are portable as they move with their servicemember from base to base.
For the first time, the committee established a kind of military version of the family and medical leave law. It permits a service member to be released from active duty for a maximum of three years to focus on personal or professional goals outside of the military without sacrificing the status of their military career.
Also included is a preventive health care initiative to improve medical readiness of the force and the health status of our beneficiaries. Preventive health care is important to the long term health of our beneficiary population, and may reduce the amount of care required, which is preferable to the President’s proposal to reduce the care available to beneficiaries or discourage use of the military health care system.
The defense bill was approved last night by full committee on a vote of 61-0. It now moves to the full House for consideration.