House Panel OKs Troop Pay Hike

(WASHINGTON) — The House Armed Services Committee approved a bill early Thursday that authorizes $601.4 billion in defense spending for next year, including a 3.9 percent pay raise for troops.

The pay increase and other service benefits included in the bill — such as a prohibition on increased health care fees — is more than President Bush wants. But it is in synch with a broader election-year effort by lawmakers to boost benefits for service members and veterans.

The legislation also would restrict U.S. reconstruction spending in Iraq unless Baghdad spends more of its own money, although the bill would allow Bush to waive the requirement.

The Senate Armed Services Committee has proposed a similar defense bill that includes the 3.9 percent pay increase — all but guaranteeing the pay provision will be included in the final bill and sent to Bush for his signature this summer. The Senate panel also voted to restrict reconstruction dollars, but did not include a waiver.

The legislation covers the 2009 budget year, which begins Oct. 1. The proposed pay increase would be almost a half percent more than Bush requested.

Last year, Congress approved a 3.5 percent raise for troops, which took effect in January. The White House opposed the increase because it said it would cost more than $2 billion if maintained for five years. But Bush nevertheless signed the bill into law in January.

On reconstruction spending, the House bill would require that Iraqis pay $1 for every $2 spent by the U.S. through the Commanders Emergency Response Program, a military-led effort that pays for urgent local projects. However, the bill would allow Bush to waive the restriction if there was a national security interest to do so.

The bill also includes a major increase for the emergency response program. Whereas last year's bill authorized about $2 billion to be spent in 2008 and 2009, the House panel recommended increasing that amount to $3.2 billion.

Other provisions proposed in the House bill would:

• Cut $232 million from the president's request for missile defense research and $140 million for construction of radars in Eastern Europe. A Republican amendment to restore the money was rejected, 34-24.

• Cut $200 million from the $3.6 billion requested for the Army's Future Combat System.

• Add $2.6 billion for the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles, $947 million for up-armored humvees and $3.9 billion for an additional 15 C-17 Globemaster aircraft.

The committee had planned to finish the bill on Wednesday, but was sidetracked by floor votes and debated various amendments late into the night. Early Thursday morning, it voted unanimously in favor of the bill, despite reservations by many Republicans on such provisions as lower missile defense spending.