Bill would extend current stop-loss payments - Army News | News from Afghanistan & Iraq - Army Times

Bill would extend current stop-loss payments

A bill to keep the government running for another month while Congress continues work on the 2010 budget includes a provision that would prevent an abrupt end next week to stop-loss allowances for deployed soldiers.

The so-called “continuing resolution” that will keep the government funded when the new fiscal year begins Oct. 1 includes a one-month extension of several programs that otherwise would end, including the $500 monthly allowance for people under stop-loss orders. The Army is the only service currently using stop loss.

The extension lasts only through Oct. 31. At that point, payments would cease unless another extension is approved.

Inclusion of the provision means that soldiers under current stop-loss orders will continue to get payments. It has no bearing on retroactive stop-loss allowances for the approximately 180,000 people who are waiting on the Defense Department and services to announce the process for getting paid for involuntary extensions and delayed retirements between Sept. 11, 2001, and Oct. 1, 2008.

The continuing resolution allows most federal agencies, including the Defense Department, to continue spending at 2009 levels, and allows the military to spend any approved supplemental war funding.

The Veterans Affairs Department is one of the few agencies to get an increase. It is allowed to spend at what amounts to an annual rate of $44.3 billion — or about $3.7 billion a month — in its combined medical services, medical support and medical facilities accounts, a move made to address a longstanding complaint from veterans groups about the disruption caused when Congress failing to pass budgets on time.

Ironically, the 2010 veterans budget, which is one of the 13 appropriations bills tied up in Congress, includes a provision to provide funding one year in advance for veterans medical programs — to prevent disruption when Congress is late in approving the annual VA budget.

The 2010 VA budget includes advance funding for the 2011 budget for veterans medical services, support and facilities accounts. Once enacted, it would fulfill the top legislative priority for veterans groups.

DISCUSS: Stop-loss payments