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Service members and Defense Department civilian employees would receive a 5.2-percent increase in basic pay, under the Biden administration’s proposed $842 billion 2024 defense-spending bill.
The proposal also contains provisions that address quality-of-life issues.
The basic allowances for both housing and subsistence would increase. Plans such as Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s Taking Care of Our People initiatives are emphasized.
Child-care fee assistance would rise. A public-private partnership would be put into place, with the goal of increasing capacity at child-care facilities. Parent fees for child-care workers would be reduced, in order to foster an increase in workers at these critical positions.
The recommendations put forth by the Independent Review Commission on Sexual Assault in the Military would be fully funded and implemented. Independent offices of special trial counsel would take over the role of overseeing jurisdiction of sexual-assault, domestic violence similar criminal cases.
Members of the five DoD armed services would stand to benefit from investments that would ensure they get the best training and equipment possible.
Family-support provisions include:
• $193 million to pay for enhanced lodging expenses and dislocation allowances during military moves.
• $212 million to ensure that commissaries continue to provide groceries to service members at costs that beat commercial supermarkets by 25 percent.
• $33 million to provide a standard 50-percent childcare employee discount for the first child of child-development workers who provide direct care.
• $90.4 million to DoD Education Activity (DoDEA), for use in expanding full-day pre-kindergarten for eligible dependents.
• $1.9 billion to ensure that family housing is safe and of high quality.
• $209 million for suicide-prevention efforts, to include counseling for those considered at risk and efforts to reduce stigmatization for those who seek help. The investment would address issues brought forth by the recent Suicide Prevention and Response Independent Review Committee.
• $637 million to implement sexual-assault and prevention programs.
In total, the White House budget request represents a $26 billion increase above 2023 levels.
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