Army freezes bonus payments (xpost from Veterans)

[unhappycamper]

President Bush, left, greets troops at Al-Asad Airbase in Anbar province, Iraq in Sept. 2007. Bush vetoed the fiscal 2008 Defense Authorization Act on Dec. 29. Until a new version of the legislation is enacted, all new bonus agreements signed on or after Jan. 1 must include an addendum that stipulates the soldier's eligibility for a future bonus.


Army freezes bonus payments
By Jim Tice - Staff writer
Posted : Wednesday Jan 2, 2008 16:20:37 EST

The Army has temporarily halted bonus payments for more than 20 enlistment, re-enlistment and service extension programs pending enactment of authorizing legislation.

President Bush, to the surprise of Congress and the Defense Department, vetoed the fiscal 2008 Defense Authorization Act on Dec. 29 after months bargaining with House and Senate leaders.

In announcing the pocket veto, White House spokesman Scott Stanzel said the president objected to a single provision of the legislation that would delay the reconstruction of Iraq, and expose the Iraqi government to unwarranted law suits in U.S. courts.

If enacted as currently written, the legislation would authorize $696.3 billion in defense spending during 2008, including $1 billion for Army accession and retention bonuses.

Until a new version of the legislation is enacted, all new bonus agreements signed on, or after, Jan. 1 must include an addendum that stipulates the soldier’s eligibility for a future bonus.


Rest of article at: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/01/army_bonuses_halted_080102w/


uhc comment: The shitstorm starts now.

[mtnester]

1. If this coingress passes it, this pResident will veto it

for the next year...no matter what it is.

[SpiralHawk]

2. Why do republicons hate our troops and veterans?

Is it because so many of the republicons -- like Commander AWOL Bush, Cheney, Hannity, O'Reilly, Limbaugh, etc. etc. -- are ashamed that everyone knows they are chickenhawks?

[avaistheone1]

9. ...Maybe it because they see themselves as a different caste.

You know like how Cheney had more important things to do than go to Vietnam in the 1960s.

[jmowreader]

3. Why aren't our Democrats filing suit in the Supreme Court right now?

Bush claims to have pocket-vetoed a bill with the Senate still in session. Isn't that, like, in violation of that goddamn piece of paper Bush so clearly loathes?

[Swamp Rat]

4. Yes. He openly shows contempt for the U. S. Constitution now.

[unhappycamper]

5. Hi Swampy!

Happy New Year. :hi:

[Swamp Rat]

7. Happy New Year unhappycamper!

:hi:

[nonconformist]

8. That's because he's the decider, dammit

*stomps foot*

[Swamp Rat]

10. and he's INSANE!

[tsuki]

6. I wonder how this will be spun to the troops? eoq

[Wizard777]

11. The lazy Democratic Congress won't send him a bill to authorize their bonuses.

He does that with everything he veto's. He'll Veto something and then start screaming that Congress won't send him a bill. Like they never bothered to draft the bill he just vetoed.