{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://web.archive.org/web/20140220234028/http://vela.house.gov/index.php/2013-07-18-16-34-07/press-releases/200-press-release-vela-sponsors-legislation-to-avoid-pension-cuts-to-military-retirees", "PRESS RELEASE: Vela Sponsors Legislation to Avoid Pension Cuts to Military Retirees", "2013-12-20", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "TX", "Filemon Vela", "V000132", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "PRESS RELEASE: Vela Sponsors Legislation to Avoid Pension Cuts to Military Retirees\t\t \n\n\t\u00a0\n\n\tFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0PRESS CONTACT:\n\n\tDecember 20, 2013 \u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Brenda Lopez \u00a0 956.544.8352 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\n\n\t\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\n\n\tPRESS RELEASE:\u00a0Vela Sponsors Legislation to Avoid Pension Cuts to Military Retirees\n\n\t\u00a0\n\n\tWASHINGTON \u2013U.S. Representative Filemon Vela (TX-34) joined dozens of Member of Congress \u2013 both Democrats and Republicans - in sponsoring legislation to eliminate cuts to cost of living adjustments (COLAs) for military retirement payments.\u00a0\n\n\t\u00a0\n\n\tMilitary retirement pay, like Social Security and other federal programs, is subject to an annual cost of living increase which is set to match the rate of inflation and helps ensure that the value of the benefit is not diminished. Under a recent budget agreement, this annual COLA will be decreased by 1% for military retirees until from the date of their retirement from military service until they reach the age of 62.\u00a0 At age 62, each military member\u2019s retirement would be adjusted up to the level it would have been if their COLA had been higher by 1% every year. The reduction is scheduled to take effect at the end of 2015 unless Congress acts to halt the cut.\n\n\t\u00a0\n\n\tRepresentative Vela has added his support as a cosponsor of three bills that would repeal the military retirement pay cut, including H.R. 3789 to alter the provision to ensure that the cut is not applied to military retirees who also receive veterans disability compensation through or for surviving spouses.\u00a0 Additionally, he is a cosponsor of H.R. 3790 to repeal the provision entirely and restore military retirement to its current formula.\u00a0\u00a0\n\n\t\u00a0\n\n\t\u201cGetting our fiscal house in order is a top priority, but we cannot balance our federal budget on the backs of military families who have already given so much,\u201d said Rep. Vela. \u201cI will continue to support this and other efforts to ensure that the pay and benefits we provide our armed forces are commensurate with the sacrifices they make in defense of our nation.\"\n\n\t# # #", 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://web.archive.org/web/20140220234028/http://vela.house.gov/index.php/2013-07-18-16-34-07/press-releases/200-press-release-vela-sponsors-legislation-to-avoid-pension-cuts-to-military-retirees"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 2.5149448774755, "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"}