{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://poliquin.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-poliquin-urges-pentagon-halt-veterans-repayment-bonuses-applauds", "Rep. Poliquin Urges Pentagon to Halt Veterans Repayment of Bonuses, Applauds Pentagons Quick Action", "2016-10-26", "2016", "2016-10", "Republican", "House", "ME", "Bruce Poliquin", "P000611", "poliquin.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON \u2013 Congressman Bruce Poliquin (ME-02) is acting to halt the Pentagon\u2019s efforts to force former California National Guard members to repay the bonuses they earned and were promised.\n\u00a0\nCongressman Poliquin sent a letter to Secretary of Defense Ash Carter asking for an immediate halt in efforts to recoup these bonuses and requesting information to better understand the reason behind the issue and its scope.\u00a0 Today, the Pentagon announced it would cease these recoupment efforts.\n\u00a0\nCongressman Poliquin released the following statement:\n\u00a0\n\u201cIt was absolutely unacceptable for these Veterans to even be asked to repay the bonuses they earned and were promised,\u201d said Congressman Poliquin. \u201cI\u2019m pleased the Pentagon realized this horrible mistake and acted quickly to stop it.\u00a0 I\u2019m poised to work with my colleagues in Congress and with the Department of the Defense in investigating the matter and making sure it never happens again.\n\u00a0\n\u201cI believe the best way to repay our Veterans is to make sure they have the care and support they are owed and were promised. In Congress, caring for our Veterans is a top priority for me, which is why I\u2019ve consistently voted for and supported bills to make sure they are cared for, like voting to increase funding to the VA.\u201d\n\u00a0\nCongressman joined more than 175 Democrats and Republicans in sending the letter to Secretary Carter.\n\u00a0\n+++\n\u00a0\nFull text of the letter to Secretary Carter:\n\u00a0\nDear Secretary Carter,\n\u00a0\nNothing is more important and nothing binds our nation together like the support of our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines.\u00a0 We write to you today as members of the National Guard and Reserve Component Caucus because we are concerned with continued reports about the ongoing recoupment of bonuses previously paid to Service Members, through no fault of the Service Member.\n\u00a0\nWe ask that you immediately halt all ongoing efforts to recoup these bonuses while you review the processes and cases to ensure that Service Members are protected and that these actions are in best interests of the United States.\u00a0 We also ask that you waive the recoupment in appropriate cases where the Service Member fulfilled their contract.\n\u00a0\nIt is our understanding that Department of Defense (DoD) and the applicable service Secretaries already possess authority to approve erroneous payment collection waivers under current DoD Financial Management Regulation 7000.14-R, and set forth in\u00a0DoDD 1340.22, Waiver of Debts Resulting from Erroneous Payments of Pay and Allowances (dated January 8, 2005), which is codified at\u00a032 C.F.R. Part 283,\u00a0and\u00a0DoD Instruction (DoDI) 1340.23, Waiver Procedures for Debts Resulting from Erroneous Pay and Allowances (dated February 14, 2006), which is codified at\u00a032 C.F.R. Part 284.\u00a0 If you do not believe you possess this authority, please let us know so Congress can take appropriate action.\n\u00a0\nAdditionally, we ask that you provide the following information no later than December 1st, 2016:\n Has the authority outlined in the previous paragraph been used?\u00a0 If so, in how many cases?\u00a0\n\tHave Service Members been educated on their ability to apply for this relief?\n\tDoes the DoD, Department of the Army, or the National Guard Bureau (NGB) plan to grant a blanket waiver for all Service Member affected by improperly paid bonuses, that were no fault of the Service member? If you determine that a waiver in these cases is not appropriate we ask that you also provide the following information at your earliest convenience:\n\tA list of bonus recoupments that have occurred or are in process which you believe do not justify a recoupment waiver.\u00a0 Please include:\n\t\tthe Service Member\u2019s component (including state National Guard if applicable)\n\t\t\tthe original bonus amount\n\t\t\tthe date when the bonus was issued\n\t\t\tthe amount recouped\n\t\t\tthe date the recoupment process started and completed\n\t\t\tthe authorizing authority/office\n\t\t\tthe reason the waiver is being denied.\n\t\t\n\tA list of bonuses fraudulently given since 2000, like those identified in the joint Federal Bureau of Investigations and United States Army Criminal Investigation Command investigation into Master Sergeant Toni L. Jaffe.\u00a0 Please include what authorities these bonuses were given under and what authority are they being recouped under.\n \u00a0\nWe are certain, as you have repeatedly stressed yourself, that taking care of our troops is a top priority for all of us.\u00a0 We believe that recouping payments to troops who received the payments in good faith, and with the understanding that they were rightfully authorized this pay, is not in line with that effort.\u00a0 Many of these men and women volunteered to serve as our country was surging forces overseas and did so with the promise that they and their families would receive additional financial compensation.\u00a0 Seeking recoupment of these funds that were erroneously received through no fault of the Service Members is not in line with our promise to take care of those who stand up to answer the call of our nation.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://poliquin.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-poliquin-urges-pentagon-halt-veterans-repayment-bonuses-applauds"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.7965338882058859, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}