ATLANTA — The U.S. Senate passed a set of pay increases for enlisted personnel on Wednesday.
The pay increase, described as historic, was supported by Georgia U.S. Sens. Jon Ossoff Rev. Raphael Warnock and was included in the 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).
While all service members will receive raises of at least 4.5%, the bill gave a larger boost to junior service members, who will instead receive 14.5% increases. The raises are targeted to impact all branches of the U.S. Armed Forces.
“Young people are not going into national service and national security for the money. They’re doing it because they care about defending the United States and the American people, and they are terribly underpaid,” Ossoff said in a statement. “I made it one of my highest priorities to pass a record pay raise for junior-enlisted personnel in the military, and bringing Republicans and Democrats together, we got it done.”
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For the nearly 100,000 service members living in Georgia and their peers, the increase in pay comes as the federal government continues efforts to examine and address pay and financial readiness issues, including housing affordability and the ability of military families to afford the cost of food.
For military members, the increased wages will take effect in January, following the signing of the bill by President Joe Biden.
Previously, Warnock went before the Senate Armed Services leadership in April to request pay raises for military service members.
“Our servicemembers are the best among us, and it’s our duty as a nation to take care of them while they’re serving and beyond,” Warnock said in a statement.
However, with a government shutdown potentially on the horizon, multiple parts of the federal government could be affected by lack of budget, including military pay.
Channel 2 Action News has covered which elements of the federal government in Georgia could be impacted by a shutdown in the past.
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Should the shutdown happen, if a funding agreement is not reached in Congress or approved by the president, Social Security payments, federal paychecks and many departments would be temporarily shuttered, such as the National Parks.
However, agencies such as the FBI, Border Patrol and Coast Guard, as well as the Transportation Security Administration, would stay in operation, as well as the U.S. Postal Service. Civil cases would be paused in federal courts, while criminal prosecutions would remain active during the shutdown.
While federal workers would be furloughed, a temporary suspension of payment, members of the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives would remain actively paid, though their congressional staff would also have their wages suspended.
As reported by the Associated Press, Republican members of Congress abandoned a previously approved bipartisan plan on Wednesday to prevent a shutdown after President-elect Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk came out against it. Trump told House Speaker Mike Johnson to essentially renegotiate the deal days before a deadline when federal funding runs out.
For military members and their families that may be in need of additional assistance, the following resources are available:
- Expanded outreach on financial readiness including fielding a Military OneSource Military Leaders Economic Security Toolkit with resources to help leaders identify service members who may be struggling and connect them to resources, https://www.militaryonesource.mil/leaders-service-providers/economic-security/
- Launched Resources for Financial Stress landing page on MilitaryOneSource.mil to connect service members and their families with immediate financial assistance and relevant financial education and planning tools
- Allocated funds to subsidize commissary prices so military families save at least 25% on their purchases
- Enhanced MilitaryOneSource.mil online tools, guides and FAQs to make moving simpler for military families
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