Combat Pay Protection Act

Key Points

• The bill would give a one-time corrective raise to military special and incentive pays, like combat pay and bonuses for hazardous duties. These rates have not kept up with inflation or basic pay increases over the years, and this catch-up adjustment would close that gap.
• After the initial catch-up raise, these special pays would automatically go up every January 1st. The yearly increase would match either inflation or the standard military basic pay raise, whichever is higher, so these payments never fall behind again.
• The bill covers a wide range of extra military payments, including bonuses, incentive pay, special pay under chapter 5 of title 37, and the family separation allowance paid when a service member is deployed away from their family.
• The increases would override any existing dollar caps on these pays set by other laws. This means the Secretary of Defense can raise the amounts even if current statutes set a maximum limit.
• The bill also expands eligibility for Reserve and National Guard members to receive the same bonuses, incentive, and special pays, removing conditions that previously limited their access.
• The Secretary of Defense would be required to publish a detailed table in the Federal Register showing every covered pay type, when it was last increased, and the new amount after the corrective adjustment.