[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 162 Referred in Senate (RFS)]

  1st Session
H. CON. RES. 162


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            November 8, 2007

        Received and referred to the Committee on Armed Services

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
Expressing the sense of Congress that Congress and the President should 
          increase basic pay for members of the Armed Forces.

Whereas the United States continues to rely extensively upon the members of the 
        Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard who are deployed 
        overseas and stationed at military support installations within the 
        United States;
Whereas members of the Armed Forces, regardless of branch of service or whether 
        serving in an active or a

              

 reserve component, have carried out their mission objectives with valor, 
distinction, and steadfast dedication to the cause of liberty and 
democracy;

Whereas more than 1,600,000 members of the Armed Forces have deployed to Iraq or 
        Afghanistan, and many of these members have served multiple deployments;
Whereas there are more than 3,000,000 family members and other dependents of the 
        members of the Armed Forces serving on active duty and in reserve 
        components;
Whereas nearly 50 percent of the members of the Armed Forces, who are deployed 
        away from their permanent duty stations, have left families with 
        children behind;
Whereas over 50 percent of the members of the Armed Forces who are currently 
        deployed in Iraq are married;
Whereas military families have persevered in the face of challenges and continue 
        to provide critically important comfort and care and numerous other 
        contributions to their loved ones deployed overseas or stationed within 
        the United States;
Whereas there currently is a 4 percent gap between the pay increases provided to 
        members of the Armed Forces and the pay increases provided to private 
        sector employees; and
Whereas it is in the national interest of the United States to offer to the 
        members of the Armed Forces comparable pay to that which the civilian 
        sector provides in order to retain highly qualified men and women in 
        uniform and to faithfully reward their valiant service to the United 
        States: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That it is the sense of Congress that--
            (1) Congress and the President should increase basic pay 
        for members of all components of the Army, Navy, Air Force, 
        Marine Corps, and Coast Guard by 3.5 percent, effective January 
        1, 2008; and
            (2) Congress and the President should increase the basic 
        pay for members of all components of the Army, Navy, Air Force, 
        Marine Corps, and Coast Guard during fiscal years 2009 through 
        2012 by at least \1/2\ of 1 percent more than the raise 
        calculated under the Employment Cost Index (ECI).

            Passed the House of Representatives November 6, 2007.

            Attest:

                                            LORRAINE C. MILLER,

                                                                 Clerk.