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.
