Posted on 12/18/2013 6:19:59 AM PST by safetysign
Senate Republicans were unable to stop military pension cuts when Senate Democrats blocked a vote on an amendment to prevent the cuts by closing a welfare loophole for illegal immigrants Tuesday evening.
The two-year budget deal brokered by Senate Budget Committee Chairwoman Patty Murray and House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan, would cut military pensions by $6 billion over ten years, leaving some Senate Republicans scrambling to stop the cuts.
“Removing this unbalanced treatment of our military retirees ought to be one of the key actions we should take before this legislation moves forward. In fact, greater savings than this can be achieved by passing a legislative fix recommended by the Inspector General of the U.S. Treasury that would stop the IRS from improperly providing tax credits to illegal aliens,” Alabama Republican Jeff Sessions said Monday, announcing his co-sponsorship of Mississippi Republican Sen. Roger Wicker’s amendment to restore the military retirement benefits Monday.
Additionally, the Alabama Republican offered his own amendment to restore the cuts by targeting a child tax credit loophole that illegal immigrants have used to unlawfully obtain welfare benefits.
In 2011, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration found that “individuals who are not authorized to work in the United States” and therefore did not have a valid Social Security number were still able to obtain billions in Additional Child Tax Credits by filing returns with an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number.
Specifically the Internal Revenue Service watchdog found that unauthorized individuals received $4.2 billion refundable credits in Processing Year 2010.
Tuesday evening, Sessions attempted to force Majority Leader Harry Reid allow amendments the budget agreement.
Sessions hoped to attach his amendment to the deal — which would have closed the loophole by requiring a Social Security number to claim the refundable portion of the child tax credit and restore military retirement benefits.
Sessions’ motion failed on a 46 – 54 party line vote, with North Carolina Sen. Kay Hagan crossing the aisle as the lone Democrat to vote with the Republicans.
“Reid’s majority just voted to keep pension cut for vets instead of cutting welfare payments to illegal aliens,” a Sessions aide emailed.
Meanwhile, Sessions slammed Reid and Democrats for blocking amendments and ideas that would prevent the cuts to military retirement benefits, including those for disabled retirees.
“Today, Reid and his majority quashed the ability of any Senator to offers amendments to the spending deal that emerged from the House. They voted to undermine their own ability as Senators to offer amendments and do legislative work in the clear light of day,” Sessions said in a statement after his motion was voted down.
“They voted to block the Senate from working to improve this tax-and-spend deal,” he added. “Finally, by blocking my amendment, they voted to cut pensions for wounded warriors. Senators in this chamber have many valid ideas for replacing these pension cuts, including my proposal to close the tax welfare loophole for illegal filers, and all deserved a fair and open hearing. But they were denied.”
Murray argued that adding more amendments would jeopardize the carefully crafted bill and noted that, given the two-year time frame Democrats and Republicans could continue to work together to find savings in the future.
The budget deal, which has already passed in the House, is expected to pass in the Senate Wednesday.
Belive it or not, some people here on FR don't get that. They're okay with funding the "poor" while robbing those who actually did something for this country because, they claim, military pensions are bankrupting America. Go figure.
“Belive it or not, some people here on FR don’t get that.”
What you don’t get is that the “well managed and in the black” set aside money was “invested” in “Non-Negotiable Government Bonds” - in other words it was spent, while they pretended to “invest” it.
They are the same sort of bonds the Social Security “Trust” fund was invested in.
They are bonds whose sole existence is to launder government “trust” funds so that they can be spent in the here and now.
The end result is that ALL government benefits - including Social Security, Military Retirements, etc. must be funded with CURRENT YEAR FUNDS. When current year funds are insufficient, we borrow the difference. When we can’t borrow any more (and who knows when that day arrives) they get a big haircut or they stop.
It’s the reality of being broke. “Pre-funded” is tantamount to putting money in a 401k and then borrowing it all back and spending it.
Sure, you have a retirement plan, but there is no real money in it.
Because they know the wet backs will vote for them not the veterans expect more such actions to ensue.
You’d better believe that the Vets of North Carolina are aware of her slippery tactics! Her tuckus will be fried in the next Senatorial election, never fear!
Unlike Social Security, this was money that could have been spent on then current pay or equipment back in 1984?
So, they set aside money for military retirement in the Defense Budget, but all they did was issue paper. That would make the Defense budget look bigger than it really was. I don’t recall Pat Schroeder saying anything about that back then when she was ranting about the Defense Budget.
“This was money that could have been spent on then current pay or equipment back in 1984?”
Oh, they spent it.....
It’s 7:30 p.m., and Mark Levin has been tearing apart those Republicans who voted for this. The only consolation that I can see (hopefully, I’m hearing this right) is that it won’t go into effect for 2 years. If nothing else, veterans will have time to adjust their income in that time. I won’t say anything about taking over the Senate by then for it to change, because I don’t count on that at all.
And don't forget that several leading Republican Seantor's voted for this as well. IMO this is a test piece of legislation to gauge the amount of support and opposition to taking on the veterans and the VA budget for us veterans. This IMO will not be the last attempt at attacking veterans down the road, mark my word.
Ryan is showing his true colors more and more everyday yet there are many (even around here) in the movement still look upon his as some kind of savior. Ryan is not to be trusted IMHO. He speaks with forked tongue.
We’re seeing the results of fewer veterans returning home and not running for office on the national stage.
I think it should be mandatory that anyone running for public office should have spent time in the military, even women. The Israeli’s require all young people to serve, and look at the difference between their leaders and some of ours.
Why don’t we require the wetbacks to serve before getting benefits?
I would support illegals to serve before being allowed to become citizens, THEN, maybe, get benefits. In spite of what John McCain says, they haven’t earned benefits otherwise.
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