Rep. John McHugh (R-N.Y.), chairman of the House Armed Services Personnel Subcommittee, appears to agree with Senate colleagues that the Pentagon’s proposed Tricare fee increases for military retirees needs an independent review. McHugh told Government Executive that he favors a “dispassionate” review, possibly conducted by the Government Accountability Office. McHugh’s counterpart, Sen. Lindsay Graham (R-S.C.), reached the same conclusion at a hearing last week. Rep. Walter Jones (R-N.C.) and Rep. Chet Edwards (D-Texas) have introduced a bill in the House that would kill the proposal and change the law to prevent DOD from altering fees without Congressional approval.
Adm. Christopher Grady, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs and head of the Joint Requirements Oversight Council, is pushing a “portfolio” approach to requirements and wants his position to have “more teeth” so he can enforce it.