Haley Stevens: “I raise this subject of combat pay, or pay for imminent danger. Having received such combat pay in World War II, I have…”

“I raise this subject of combat pay, or pay for imminent danger. Having received such combat pay in World War II, I have been interested in this issue. During the gulf war in 1991, when combat pay was $110 a month, we raised that to $150 a month. Right after that war, the imminent danger pay was made permanent at $150. It has gone up 40 percent since 1991. We suggest it go up 50 percent to $225 a month. With regard to family separation and allowance, it is currently $100. We recommend it go up 100 percent to $200. That is an expensive proposition. The cost of this for the balance of the year is $375 million, and the cost for a full year will be $650 million. This is a reachback amendment. It covers everyone from the time they were exposed to imminent danger. For family separation, it is the same, from the time they were separated. I know there is a controversy, and I have had a little discussion with the Senator from Illinois. As I told the Senator, there are probably--I believe this is the case--more families in Alaska connected with the military than any other State in the Union, as the current occupant of the chair knows. On the other hand, the moneys we have to have for modernization, for munitions, and for many other items come out of the same account. This is the operations and maintenance account.”