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washingtonscene


“I respectfully urge Congress to pro- vide certainty and stability to the econ- omy and financial markets by acting to raise the debt limit,” Lew said in a letter to congressional leaders. This announcement came on the heels


of a two-year budget deal in December 2013, which averted some spending cuts and avoided another possible govern- ment shutdown. However, the budget deal does noth-


ing to avoid a potential U.S. debt default, which could occur if Congress does not raise the borrowing caps.


The often contentious debate sur-


rounding a debt-ceiling increase adds to the uncertainty on Capitol Hill, as the FY 2015 budget will be rolled out March 4, a month late.


MOAA Sets the I


Record Straight MOAA challenges media reports about the COLA cuts.


n the wake of the passage of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013 (BBA), the media examined the


controversial provision that reduces working-age military retirees’ annual COLA by one percentage point until they reach the age of 62. Some reports called the provision “a little” reform. Others characterized the provision as “teensy weensy” or a “small cut.” MOAA objected to these characteriza- tions and the COLA cut and quickly fired back letters with the facts in an attempt to set the record straight.* In letters to the editors of The Wash-


ington Post and USA Today, MOAA wrote: “A sergeant first class or master sergeant retiring this year with 20 years of service will lose $83,000 in purchasing power by


the time they reach age 62 — definitely more than ‘teensy-weensy’ or ‘small’ cut.” In response to an op-ed in The Wall


Street Journal, MOAA President Vice Adm. Norbert R. Ryan Jr., USN (Ret), replied: “The new budget deal doesn’t contain ‘a little’ military pension reform. It will have a devastating effect on the personal finances of active duty and retiring servicemembers.” MOAA also appealed to leaders in


Congress to repeal the provision for all military retirees. In letters to Rep. Paul Ryan (D-Wis.), Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Army Gen. Martin Dempsey, MOAA reminded leaders that “Congress and the administration made the commitment to fully grandfather cur- rent servicemembers and retirees from any change to their retirement.” MOAA calls upon Congress to honor its


promise to our nation’s servicemembers and military retirees.


Imminent Danger


Pay Changes Twenty areas no longer qualify.


D


oD is removing 20 areas from the list of locations that qualify for imminent danger pay (IDP),


following a review of security and budget concerns. The change will take effect June 1 and will affect tens of thousands of servicemembers.


Locations no longer qualifying as immi-


nent-danger areas are  four water areas: the Arabian Sea, the Gulf of Aden, the Gulf of Oman, and the Red Sea;  the water of and air space above the Persian Gulf;  six land areas and air space above Bah- rain, Kuwait, Montenegro, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Serbia; and


*on the web: Inim voluptat elit utpating ex etuerci eu feum eum aliquating ese feugait *online: Visit www.moaa.org/moaaresponds to see MOAA’s full responses to media reports. MARCH 2014 MILITARY OFFICER 39 \\ COLA News //


Subzero COLA The Consumer Price Index held steady in December 2013. How deep is the FY 2014 COLA hole? Follow the trends at www .moaa.org/colawatch.


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