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legislators to support key issues. Just ask
the Capitol operator to put you through to
in August
your legislator’s offi ce.
Recess provides opportunity
MOAA Offers
for face-to-face meetings.
Spending
W
hen Congress returns from
its August recess, House and Priorities
Senate leaders will continue
Health care, pay raise, and GI
work on the FY 2009 Defense Authoriza-
tion Bill. Before this occurs, it’s important
Bill are top concerns.
for MOAA members to contact their law-
makers and discuss provisions important
to the military community.
As an MOAA member, you can help by O
n June 4, MOAA deputy
director of Government Rela-
tions Cmdr. John Class, USN-
visiting and writing your legislators, urg- Ret., testifi ed on funding priorities
ing them to do everything they can to en- before the Senate Defense Appropria-
sure that the issues important to members tions Subcommittee.
of the military community are retained in Class urged full funding for the Defense
the fi nal version of the FY 2009 Defense Health Program, including restoration of
Authorization Bill. the $1.2 billion the Pentagon deleted from
We’re urging all MOAA members to the budget on the spurious assumption
visit their local legislators’ offi ces during that higher fees would drive thousands of
the congressional recess and reiterate retirees away from military health care.
the need for their strong support in re- He also asked the subcommittee to
taining key issues in the fi nal version of fully fund the 3.9-percent military pay
the defense bill. These include: raise rather than make the services
■ protections against inordinate TRI- absorb the extra half-percent raise rec-
CARE fee hikes; ommended by the Armed Services com-
■ elimination of the disability offset to mittees above the amount requested in
retired pay; the president’s budget.
■ fair treatment for military widows; Finally, Class asked the subcommittee
■ fairer reserve retirement benefi ts; and to support needed funds for:
■ increased military pay raises. ■ joint DoD-VA seamless transition
To support your efforts, we’ve posted programs;
all the resources you need on MOAA’s ■ expected upgrades in GI bill benefi ts;
Web Base,
www.moaa.org/augustrecess. ■ TRICARE coverage for drilling Guard
These include talking points to brief and Reserve families, particularly in
legislators and their staffs on each issue. light of the Armed Services committees’
We also encourage you to make multiple direction to the Pentagon to reduce
copies of the fact sheets so you can leave TRICARE Reserve Select premiums
them behind with the legislators and (which means increased costs for the
their staffs for further review. government); and
You also can get involved by using ■ robust quality-of-life and family-read-
MOAA’s toll-free Capitol Hill switchboard iness programs at base realignment and
number, (866) 272-6622, to urge your closure and global re-basing locations, to
AUGUST 2008 MILITARY OFFICER 37
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