The Biden administration has expressed its strong opposition to a proposal that aims to increase the pay of junior enlisted service members in the military. This opposition comes despite the fact that the administration has spent nearly seven times the proposed amount on Ukraine and the broader region’s security.
The House Armed Services Committee’s draft of the 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) includes a provision for a pay raise for all junior troops, amounting to approximately $24.4 billion over a span of five years, as estimated by the Congressional Budget Office. In a statement released on Tuesday, the Biden administration stated that it does not support this proposed pay hike, which is deemed “significant” and “permanent,” until a compensation review has been conducted.
“The Administration is strongly committed to taking care of our Servicemembers and their families, and appreciates the Committee’s concern for the needs of the most junior enlisted members, but strongly opposes making a significant, permanent change to the basic pay schedule before the completion of the Fourteenth Quadrennial Review of Military Compensation,” the White House budget office said.
The Biden administration allocated more than $175 billion towards aid for Ukraine and European security since