The White House is opposing a congressional proposal to give junior enlisted service members their biggest pay raise in a generation.
In a statement Tuesday about its position on the House’s version of the annual must-pass defense policy bill, the White House budget office suggested a plan to give low-ranking troops a 19.5% boost in basic pay next year is too costly and premature amid the Biden administration’s ongoing review of military compensation.
“The administration is strongly committed to taking care of our service members and their families, and appreciates the [House Armed Services Committee’s] concern for the needs of the most junior enlisted members, but strongly opposes making a significant, permanent change to the basic pay schedule before the completion of the Fourteenth Quadrennial Review of Military Compensation,” the White House said in its statement.
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While the White House also raised several other issues with the House bill, the Biden administration in general “strongly supports enactment of a National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for a 64th consecutive year,” the statement said.
The House’s version of this year’s NDAA, which the full chamber is expected to approve later this week, would give all service members a 4.5% pay raise next year, as requested by the administration.
But it would also give E-1s through E-4s…
