Rounds, Manchin Legislation to Provide Back Pay to Military Officers Impacted by Holds Passes With Committee Version of FY25 NDAA

WASHINGTON - The Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) recently passed legislation introduced by U.S. Senators Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) and Joe Manchin (I-W.Va.) to provide back pay for military officers whose promotions were delayed in the Senate. The Military Personnel Confirmation and Restoration Act was included as part of the committee version of the Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25) National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that was reported out of the Senate Armed Services Committee. The NDAA was officially filed on Monday, July 8. This provision would also make an adjustment to the affected service members' time in grade and other administrative fixes.

"I am pleased that the Military Personnel Confirmation and Restoration Act is included in our Armed Services committee version of the FY25 Senate NDAA," said Rounds. "These nominations for our military members were initially held up due to policy differences. Though their promotions and nominations are no longer stalled, many military officers spent much of 2023 waiting on positions they had earned through exemplary service to our country, often in combat zones, over the last two decades. This legislation would make certain they and their families receive the benefits they missed out on for several months."

"I'm proud our bipartisan Military Personnel Confirmation and Restoration Act has been included in the FY25 Senate NDAA," said Manchin. "This important legislation will provide well-earned retroactive promotion dates and back pay for our nation's senior military officers after many promotions were blocked for months. These men and women are true American heroes and we have a responsibility in Congress to make them whole. I will continue doing everything in my power to ensure the passage of our bill to compensate our troops and strengthen America's national security."

Rounds and Manchin initially introduced the Military Personnel Confirmation and Restoration Act as a standalone bill in December 2023. This legislation passed the Senate unanimously later that same month but still remains stalled in the House.

The FY25 NDAA was reported out of the Senate Armed Services Committee on June 13, 2024. This is the tenth NDAA that Rounds has helped author as a member of the committee. At the start of the 118th Congress, Vanderbilt University and the University of Virginia's Center for Effective Lawmaking named Rounds as the second most effective Republican on Defense issues. The FY25 NDAA now heads to the full Senate for consideration.

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