Drake moves to close military-civilian pay gap; participates in American Families Agenda

By J.R. | May 14, 2008
Filed Under Congress |

Today, Rep. Thelma Drake (R-VA02) issued two releases on touting her measure to close the pay-gap between civilians and the military by 2013 and her participation in the “American Families Agenda” of the House Republican Caucus.

Drake’s amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act passed the Armed Services Committee today by a voice vote. From her release:

“I am pleased my colleagues on the House Armed Services joined me in taking action to close the military-civilian pay gap. Our servicemembers preserve and protect our way of life and they deserve to be paid on par with the private sector and this amendment makes significant strides to that end,” said Drake.

Currently, a servicemember makes 3.4% less than a civilian in the private sector with a similar skill set. The Congress included a one-year fix in the NDAA. Rep. Drake’s amendment would guarantee that future budgets include that increase from Fiscal Year 2010 through Fiscal Year 2013, rather than relying on a temporary fix in each of those years.

Additionally, Drake signed onto the American Families Agenda which has five distinct solution categories with several pieces of legislation supporting each solution.

Solution #1: Assuring More Time & Money For America’s Families

Solution #2: Assuring Health Care and Retirement Security for America’s Families

Solution #3: Protecting America’s Kids

Solution #4: Assuring Education Access for America’s Families

Solution #5: Supporting America’s Military Families and Keeping Our Country Safe

Under solution #4, Rep. Drake is sponsoring Comprehensive Coverdell Modernization Act, H.R. 2588.

Rep. Eric Cantor (R-VA07) is sponsoring under solution #1 the Middle Class Jobs Protection Act, H.R. 4995 and for solution #2 the HSA Improvement and Expansion Act, H.R. 3234.

For all five solutions, there are 47 pieces of legislation.

No other members of the Virginia delegation are sponsoring legislation.

Comments

10 Responses to “Drake moves to close military-civilian pay gap; participates in American Families Agenda”

Chief Judge Joseph Story (Ret.) on May 14th, 2008 5:54 pm

Where pray tell might I find the authority for solutions 2, 3, & 4 in the federal constitution?
ragnar on May 14th, 2008 6:35 pm

Jim - kudos to Drake, she’s on the right path. (Even if she does sound a little like a Democrat…

Do you know if she is supporting the Sen. Webb sponsored update to the GI Bill?
J.R. on May 14th, 2008 6:41 pm

Great question, Ragnar…I’ll try to find out.
Darrell -- Chesapeake on May 14th, 2008 7:08 pm

“Currently, a servicemember makes 3.4% less than a civilian in the private sector with a similar skill set.”

I don’t know which database Thelma got her numbers from, but down here in Tidewater the only way a civilian makes more than an equivalent shorebased sailor is if they are retired military and include their retirement check into the comparison. I’ve worked in many different locations around the world and have never seen the lowball salary game like they play around here. I’m one of the lucky ones, with a saved pay provision from a past assignment.
J.R. on May 14th, 2008 8:55 pm

Yes, Darrell, I am sure you have all the information that the full House Armed Services Committee has — you know, the one that approved the amendment.
Stephen Gunter on May 15th, 2008 6:52 am

As a person who did 9 years in the navy and got out only two years ago, I made a whole lot more money while I was in. This idea of closing the pay gap to me is just ridiculous.
J.R. on May 15th, 2008 10:12 am

Well, Stephen, perhaps you have a job that is not as in demand in the civilian world. However, there are heck of a lot of jobs in the military that are below the average, which probably makes the gap what it is. The problem with the base military pay scale is that it applies across all jobs and not just the ones that may be lagging or exceeding the civilian gap.

Once again, it’s the government…and what’s the Bearing Drift motto? “Conservative. Because government will ‘f’ it up.”
Vivian J. Paige on May 15th, 2008 2:06 pm

I suspect the 3.4% difference is in actual salary, but does not include benefits, particularly the housing allowance. That’s why when folks get out and go to work in the civilian sector, particularly in Hampton Roads, they feel as if they are making less money, because what they bring home is less.
Terri K on May 15th, 2008 2:49 pm

The best solution for “helping” families and the military is to get the far reaching tentacles of the federal government out of our pocketbooks and out of our lives.

We don’t need any more stinkin’ legislation!!

As JR said: Once again, it’s the government…and what’s the Bearing Drift motto? “Conservative. Because government will ‘f’ it up.”

AMEN!
Darrell -- Chesapeake on May 15th, 2008 5:23 pm

ET2 Squid decides to get out after his six years. If he stays in he gets 2404 base or 15 bucks an hour. He takes a job from a real ad at VEC, fixing LCAC’s at 15 to 17 bucks an hour minus health care and other ‘benefits’. The feds BLS website says the know nothing entry level pay for the same job is $18.21. Squid has six years of experience and gets less. And I didn’t include BAS/BAH or special pays into his Navy salary. That’s a typical result for this area.