On Thursday, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) is “likely to file cloture” on a bill to repeal the military pension cuts contained in the 2013 budget deal.
The repealing legislation “is authored by Veterans Affairs Chairman Bernie Sanders (I-VT).”
According to The Hill, Sanders’ bill would “repeal the $6 billion pension cut … that has come under harsh criticism, as well as expand veterans healthcare programs [and] give veterans in-state tuition at any public university.” It would also “provide advanced appropriations for the Department of Veterans Affairs.”
Sanders’ bill will be funded by monies for “the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.” There is some push-back against using these funds, as they are “essentially ‘off budget’ and not subject to discretionary spending caps.”
Prior to settling on Sanders’ bill, Democrats rejected two bills from Senator Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) that would have reversed cuts to military pensions by using funds theretofore allocated to a “child tax credit” for illegal immigrants.
Follow AWR Hawkins on Twitter @AWRHawkins.
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