14R-054

WHEREAS, A bipartisan federal budget agreement, passed by Congress in December of 2013, made substantial cuts to military pensions by cutting cost-of-living adjustments to pensions by 1 percentage point for military retirees who are not yet 62 years old, the cuts also applied to disabled service members, many of whom have been wounded in combat; and

WHEREAS, H.R. 3547, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014, introduced in January of 2014, will exempt medically retired military retirees by repealing the 1 percent reduction in the annual military pension cost-of-living adjustment for these disabled military retirees and their survivors; and

WHEREAS, The legislation, now passed by Congress, takes a step in the right direction by ensuring that disabled veterans and surviving families receive the full benefits they are due, but it fails to redact a provision from the original budget agreement that reduces cost-of-living adjustments for working-age military retirees by 1 percent, starting in December 2015; and

WHEREAS, This provision drastically affects retirees under the age of 62 and could result in thousands of dollars in lost retirement benefits for these deserving patriots; and

WHEREAS, Today military personnel on active duty and in the reserves face the very real prospect of repetitive tours of duty in Afghanistan and other overseas areas. It is fundamental that these men and women, who are currently wearing the uniform of the armed services, know that their sacrifices are appreciated and they remain a priority in this country; now, therefore be it

RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations hereby respectfully urges the United States Congress to restore the 1 percent cost-of-living adjustments for working-age military retirees; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to the Rhode Island Congressional Delegation.