Sen. Mark Warner [D-Va.] and Sen. Tim Kaine [D-Va.] recently introduced legislation that would repeal the controversial cuts to military retiree benefits included in the two-year bipartisan budget deal waiting President Obama’s signature. The legislation aims to raise $6.6 billion over 10 years by keeping the private sector from evading taxation through “the use of foreign tax havens.” Warner and Kaine said those funds would offset the anticipated $6 billion expected to be raised by reducing retiree’s cost-of-living adjustments, according to a release from Warner’s office. “While the changes to military pension COLA increases may look insignificant to some, this is real money to a lot of families,” Warner said. Kaine said he “hopes that we’ll be able to undo these changes before they take effect in [December] 2015.” Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Sen. Carl Levin [D-Mich.] already has said the committee would review the proposed cuts in the new year, following a public outcry from many veterans organizations.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth visited the site of U.S. Space Command’s future home Dec. 12 and endorsed the move to establish the headquarters in Alabama after years of political back and forth.
