Hearing of House Armed Services - The Future of National Defense 10 Years after 9/11

Statement

Congressman John Kline asked and received assurances from Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Martin Dempsey that they, like Kline, are "adamantly opposed" to changing the retirement benefits promised to members of the U.S. military. In a House Armed Services hearing on the future of national defense 10 years after 9/11, Kline pressed Sec. Panetta and Gen. Dempsey to confirm or refute a rumor "ripping around the U.S. Army."

JOHN KLINE: "For the record, I want to be absolutely clear -- I would like to hear from both of you -- that you are adamantly opposed to changing those retirement benefits for our serving men and women." (2:58)

SECRETARY PANETTA: "We cannot break faith with those that have served and deployed time and time again and were promised the benefits of this retirement program -- those benefits are going to be protected under any circumstances." (3:27)

GENERAL DEMPSEY: "I am adamantly opposed to changing the retirement benefits for those who are currently on active duty, but I'm also open to look at potential changes to the retirement system as part of our overall look at compensation for the future." (3:12)

It has been a significant week in Congress for our troops and veterans. Kline supported bipartisan legislation (H.R. 2433), which passed the House Wednesday, that would allow 100,000 unemployed veterans ages 35-64 to apply for G.I. Bill benefits. Eligible veterans could choose to enhance their skills with up to a year of training for high-demand fields such as technology and health care. Kline co-sponsored the Honor America's Guard-Reserve Retirees Act (H.R. 1025), bipartisan legislation which passed the House Tuesday that would provide honorary veteran status to individuals who served at least 20 years in the reserves, are younger than 60, and were never called to active duty.

Kline, a 25-year veteran of the Marine Corps whose son has served three tours in Afghanistan and Iraq, was honored by the National Guard Bureau in 2008 with a Heritage Painting, one of its highest civilian awards, for successfully championing the "Beyond the Yellow Ribbon" legislation and his continued support of the National Guard. In 2010, Kline was instrumental in ensuring 2,500 Minnesota soldiers whose deployments to Iraq were extended involuntarily finally received their long overdue bonus pay.

In his fifth term, Congressman John Kline serves on the House Armed Services Committee. He also is the Chairman of the House Education and the Workforce Committee.

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