Senate Unanimously Passes Rounds, Manchin Legislation to Provide Back Pay for Officers Impacted by Military Promotion Hold
WASHINGTON – The United States Senate unanimously passed legislation offered by U.S. Senators Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) and Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) that would provide back pay for military officers whose promotions were delayed in the Senate. The Military Personnel Confirmation Restoration Act of 2023 would also make an adjustment to the affected service members’ time in grade and other administrative fixes. The bipartisan legislation has 52 cosponsors and now heads to the House of Representatives, where companion legislation was introduced by Representatives Don Bacon (R-Neb.) and Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.).
“I am pleased the Senate unanimously passed our bipartisan, commonsense bill to provide military officers and their families with the benefits they have earned for their decades of service and sacrifice,” said Rounds. “When our men and women in uniform serve our country, they don’t know whether the people they are serving with are Republicans, Democrats or Independents. I disagree with the Department of Defense’s policy of paying the travel expenses for service members and their dependents seeking abortions. I also support a member of the Senate’s right to hold any nomination; however, our men and women in uniform should not be caught in the middle of partisan politics. I urge the House to move quickly on this legislation to do the right thing for our service members.”
“I’m proud the Senate has unanimously passed our bipartisan legislation to provide retroactive promotion dates and back pay for our nation’s senior military officers after the delay of their promotions,” said Manchin. “These men and women are true American heroes and the least we can do in Congress is restore the benefits they have earned and deserve. I encourage my colleagues in the House to pass this important legislation as quickly as possible to compensate our troops and reprioritize national security.”
The Military Personnel Confirmation Restoration Act of 2023 is cosponsored by Senators Angus King (I-Maine), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Mitt Romney (R-Utah), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), John Kennedy (R-La.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.), Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii).
Click HERE for full bill text.
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