WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, R-Miss., a member of the Senate Budget and Armed Services committees, today cast a vote against final passage of the negotiated budget proposal. The Murray-Ryan budget agreement contains $6 billion in cuts to military retirement benefits.  Sen. Wicker proposed an amendment on Tuesday to restore these cuts in full.

“I cannot support a budget that slashes promised retirement benefits to our military men and women,” Wicker said. “This onerous provision is unfair, and budget cuts should never be at the expense of promises made to those who sacrifice the most for our country.

“I have met with military retirees, active-duty military personnel, military spouses, and others.  All have expressed their shock and outrage that the government would choose to break its promise to those serving in uniform,” Wicker added.  “I am more than willing to work with all members of Congress to pass a sensible budget deal, but I will not support burdening service members and taking away retirement benefits that they have more than earned.

“The fight for fairness for our military men and women does not end with the passage of this budget deal.  I will continue to work to restore full military retirement benefits.”

Wicker, along with Sens. Kelly Ayotte, R-N.H., and Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., held press conferences on Tuesday and Wednesday calling for action to remove the military pension cuts from the budget proposal.