Bill Text: NJ AR74 | 2012-2013 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Urges Congress to reject President Obama's plan for changes to military healthcare.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 3-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2012-05-10 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Military and Veterans' Affairs Committee [AR74 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2012-AR74-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman CHRISTOPHER J. BROWN
District 8 (Atlantic, Burlington and Camden)
Assemblywoman DIANNE C. GOVE
District 9 (Atlantic, Burlington and Ocean)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblyman Rudder
SYNOPSIS
Urges Congress to reject President Obama's plan for changes to military healthcare.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Assembly Resolution urging Congress to reject President Obama's plan to increase healthcare costs for members of the military.
Whereas, President Barack Obama's administration has proposed a budget that would drastically increase the amount that military families and retirees pay for healthcare under the military's Tricare healthcare program; and
Whereas, Within five years, President Obama's plan will raise the cost to military families and retirees by an amount that could equal more than three times the current cost for some individuals and families; and
Whereas, Current and former members of the military and their families, many from the State of New Jersey, have made tremendous sacrifices to preserve the welfare of the citizens of the United States; and
Whereas, Members of the military, past and present, have courageously risked their lives in order to defend and protect the United States; and
Whereas, The United States has a moral obligation to provide healthcare to military families and retirees to demonstrate our gratitude and to help compensate them for their noble and honorable service on behalf of our country; and
Whereas, While raising costs to military families and retirees, the President's budget plan does not increase the cost of healthcare for unionized civilian defense workers; and
Whereas, It is unfair, unreasonable, and unjust to impose an increased burden on individuals who have already given so much to their country while not imposing an increased burden on unionized civilian defense workers; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. The Congress of the United States is respectfully urged to reject the plan proposed by President Barack Obama to increase healthcare costs for members of the military.
2. Duly authenticated copies of this resolution, signed by the Speaker of the General Assembly, and attested to by the Clerk of the General Assembly, shall be transmitted to the Vice President of the United States, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Majority leaders of the House of Representatives and the Senate, the Minority leaders of the House of Representatives and the Senate, and every member of Congress elected thereto from this State.
STATEMENT
This resolution respectfully urges the Congress of the United States to reject the plan proposed by President Barack Obama's administration to increase healthcare costs for members of the military.
President Obama's budget plan would increase the amount of money that military families and retirees must pay for healthcare under the military's Tricare healthcare program. In some instances, certain individuals currently enrolled in the Tricare healthcare program will have to pay nearly quadruple what they are currently paying within five years. Those military families and retirees who do not see their costs quadruple will still see sharp increases in the cost of healthcare. The proposal is based on the notion that the federal government needs to reduce spending, in this instance within the Department of Defense. However, President Obama's budget plan would not increase the cost of healthcare for unionized civilian defense workers.
Current and former members of the military have provided an invaluable service to the United States, risking their lives for our country. Because military families and retirees have already sustained many unquantifiable costs, it is manifestly unfair to impose additional costs on those families and retirees while the benefit plans of unionized civilian defense workers remain unchanged. Military families and retirees have already paid more than their fair share and should not be unjustly subjected to additional costs.
