The Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines sacrifice everyday to ensure the safety of each American here in the U.S. and abroad. Effective 1 January 2013, they were given a monthly pay raise of 1.7%. Also effective on 1 January 2013 was an increase of FICA taxes from 4.2% to 6.2% each month. This nullified any raise they received, and lowered their monthly pay by .3%.
I formally request that the pay for our fighting men and women be raised to 3.7% to offset 2% raise in FICA taxes.
Our volunteer force should not have to suffer through a reduction in pay, when each day they give everything to ensure that we live free from the harm that others would seek to bring upon us.