To improve the review and effectiveness of the cost of living adjustments to pay and benefits for members of the Armed Forces and civilian employees of the Department of Defense whose permanent duty station is located in the 19th Congressional District of California, and for other purposes.
Sponsors
Legislative Progress
IntroducedMr. Panetta introduced the following bill; which was referred to …
Summary
What This Bill Does
This bill requires the Department of Defense to review how it calculates cost-of-living adjustments (COLA) for military personnel and DoD civilians stationed in California's 19th Congressional District (which includes Monterey). Congress believes the current COLA rates may not accurately reflect the high cost of living in that area, where housing, transportation, groceries, and healthcare costs significantly exceed national averages.
Who Benefits and How
Military personnel and DoD civilians stationed in CA-19 may benefit if the required review leads to higher COLA rates. These service members and federal employees currently receive cost-of-living adjustments that Congress believes may underestimate actual living costs in the Monterey area.
Members of Congress and advocacy groups seeking better compensation for military families gain a formal process to evaluate COLA adequacy.
Who Bears the Burden and How
The Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness must compile and submit a detailed report to the Armed Services Committees within one year. This creates an administrative burden to analyze data collection methods, evaluate whether the Monterey commissary affects COLA calculations, and compare factors between Monterey and Santa Clara.
Taxpayers could face increased costs if the review results in higher COLA rates for the affected personnel, though the bill itself does not mandate any pay increases.
Key Provisions
- Expresses Congressional concern that current COLA calculations for CA-19 may be inaccurate, noting the area may exceed the 107% cost-of-living index used for rate determinations
- Requires a report within one year explaining how COLA data is collected and what factors determine adjustments
- Mandates evaluation of whether the Monterey military commissary should affect COLA calculations
- Requires assessment of whether areas in CA-19 should be designated high-cost areas under DoD financial regulations
- Calls for comparison of COLA factors between Monterey and Santa Clara to identify potential disparities
Evidence Chain:
This summary is derived from the structured analysis below. See "Detailed Analysis" for per-title beneficiaries/burden bearers with clause-level evidence links.
Primary Purpose
This bill aims to enhance the review process for cost-of-living adjustments (COLA) for military personnel and Department of Defense civilians stationed in California's 19th Congressional District, ensuring their financial support amidst frequent relocations.
Policy Domains
Bill Structure & Actor Mappings
Who is "The Secretary" in each section?
- "the_secretary"
- → Secretary of Defense
- "the_administrator"
- → Administrator of the Department of Defense Financial Management Regulation
Key Definitions
Terms defined in this bill
An increase in pay or benefits designed to offset rising costs of living. In this context, it refers specifically to adjustments made for military personnel and Department of Defense civilians stationed in high-cost areas like California's 19th Congressional District.
Congressional committees that oversee matters pertaining to the armed forces and national defense. They receive reports from the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness regarding COLA calculations.
A unique identifier for each section of the bill, used to reference specific provisions.
A senior official within the Department of Defense responsible for overseeing matters related to personnel, including military pay and benefits. In this bill, they are tasked with submitting a report on COLA calculations.
We use a combination of our own taxonomy and classification in addition to large language models to assess meaning and potential beneficiaries. High confidence means strong textual evidence. Always verify with the original bill text.
Learn more about our methodology