Joe Biden’s made some boneheaded decisions over the years. But this one was unforgivable.
And now Congress has put Joe Biden on the hot seat for this truly moronic military decision.
Most recently, the Biden administration decided that they wouldn’t be giving any pay increases to keep up with inflation for junior members of the U.S. military, citing the inability of the U.S. to afford it. Meanwhile, the Biden administration continues to send billions of dollars to Ukraine to fight a proxy war that has been waged for two years now.
Republican lawmakers have voiced strong criticism against the Biden administration for its refusal to endorse a pay raise for junior enlisted service members. The controversy centers on the current draft of the 2025 annual defense bill, which includes a provision for increased pay for these troops. However, the administration announced on Tuesday that it “strongly opposes” the raise until the Pentagon completes a comprehensive compensation review.
Members of the House Armed Services Committee (HASC), who drafted the proposal, expressed their discontent with the Biden admin decision. They described the administration’s stance as “disgraceful,” especially in light of ongoing challenges with military recruitment and retention.
Young service members can barely afford to get by in the Biden economy.
To make matters worse, the Biden White House just issued a statement “STRONGLY OPPOSING” House Republicans’ pay increase for junior enlisted service members! Shameful!
— Jim Banks (@RepJimBanks) June 11, 2024
HASC Chair and Republican Alabama Representative Mike Rogers issued a statement condemning the administration’s decision. “This is offensive and wrong,” he stated. “Republicans and Democrats on our committee agreed this is unacceptable. I believe wholeheartedly that the brave Americans who serve in our Armed Forces shouldn’t have to worry about making ends meet, unfortunately President Biden doesn’t feel the same.”
Republican Louisiana Representative Clay Higgins also criticized the president, saying, “Biden is in trouble politically, and he opposes traditional American values, including the core principles that were once embraced by the United States military. We desperately need a change in our executive leadership.”
The Congressional Budget Office estimates that the proposed pay increase would cost approximately $24 billion over five years. A year-long committee study revealed a decline in the quality of life for military personnel, particularly junior troops, whose pay has not kept pace with the civilian job market. Over the past 40 years, these troops have seen either incremental pay raises or none at all in eight different years.
The study further highlighted that junior troops and service members with families are struggling to afford reasonable housing and are often forced to rely on welfare programs to meet basic needs. Many service members reported to the HASC that they depend on such programs to feed their families.
Servicemembers are relying on food banks, SNAP, and WIC to put food on the table.
But President Biden is against a pay raise for our servicemembers. pic.twitter.com/5RIMxIggSB
— Armed Services GOP (@HASCRepublicans) June 11, 2024
Republican lawmakers argue that the Biden administration is prioritizing policy initiatives like funding foreign conflicts, paying off student debt, and integrating diversity, equity, and inclusion policies into the military over the welfare of service members.
Republican New York Representative Elise Stefanik described the administration’s opposition as “despicable,” emphasizing the recruitment and retention crisis facing the military. “At a time when our military is experiencing a recruitment and retention crisis, the Biden Administration is choosing to put our service members and their families last and further eroding our national security,” she said.
Republican Tennessee Representative Scott DesJarlais echoed these sentiments, accusing the administration of consistently putting the American people last. He pointed to various policies, from immigration to military funding priorities, as evidence of this trend.
The Biden administration has allocated $175 billion over the past two years to Ukrainian and European security, as reported by the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. This sum includes multiple aid packages, with the most recent being a $61 billion package signed in April.
Republican South Carolina Representative Nancy Mace also criticized the administration, stating, “Many military families rely on food banks, SNAP, and WIC to get by, and the White House is paying off student loans for pro-Hamas individuals, throwing money into foreign wars, and giving welfare to illegal aliens. This is disgraceful. Biden is turning his back on the service members he is supposed to protect as commander-in-chief.”
The pay raise proposal, resulting from bipartisan discussions, is part of the HASC’s version of the 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The entire House of Representatives is expected to vote on this proposal in the coming weeks.
For many Americans, the idea that there’s money for student loan forgiveness but not pay increases for the most junior level military members is downright sickening. That’s just unethical leadership from our federal government leaders, and they should be ashamed.
This is just more bad optics for Joe Biden and company ahead of an election that Biden is not doing well in according to the polls. It seems as though President Biden is a glutton for bad optics these days.
Stay tuned to the DC Daily Journal.
