By Congresswoman Lynn Jenkins

As the year comes to an end, Congress reached a rare, bipartisan budget agreement, which helps our nation reduce the deficit over the long-term, and reduces spending more than the sequester. The arbitrary sequester cuts threatened our military readiness, and I am pleased this budget agreement replaced these cuts with smarter reforms - allowing greater savings while still adequately providing resources for our national defense.

The budget agreement also included a one-percent cost of living adjustment (COLA) reduction for military retirees under age 62. While I did not support this particular provision, I supported the overall legislation, because it was the only option to avoid another government shutdown, reduce future furloughs, and start tackling our spending problem without increasing taxes on American families.

I have heard from many Kansans about my vote supporting the budget agreement and their concerns regarding this issue. In the coming weeks, I will do everything I can to hold firm on the overall deficit reduction in the bill and on the provisions I support. However, I will work to reform the provisions I do not agree with, such as reducing military retirement benefits, and find additional savings in other sections of the federal budget. I am cosponsoring H.R. 3787 that will ensure military retirees would receive their full COLA, and reduce spending elsewhere.

For the past 52 years, Congress has worked together to authorize funding for military programs. This week, the Senate joined the House in passing H.R. 3304 to fund essential provisions our country needs to provide for our national defense. With all the dysfunction in Washington, it is refreshing to see Congress find some common ground to fulfill our highest priority and most basic constitutional objective: provide for the common defense.

I am proud to represent both Fort Leavenworth and Forbes Field, and support the critical components of this legislation that will benefit military communities in the Second District. This bill will take care of our military service members and their families by providing for military pay, housing allowances, counter-terrorism efforts, and recovery capabilities for overseas operations. It protects their religious beliefs, by expanding religious freedom provisions for chaplains and service members. It also continues our commitment to our veterans by rejecting any White House proposals to increase TRICARE fees or establish new TRICARE fees. With recent reforms, TRICARE is on a sustainable path today, and I am confident it will be there for our veterans in the future.

How our nation handles the issue of Guantanamo Bay, and the prisoners housed there, is also an important part of H.R. 3304. It maintains the prohibition against transfer of detainees from Guantanamo Bay to the United States, and prohibits dangerous criminals from being housed in our communities’ facilities by preventing new construction for that purpose.

Our service men and women and their families sacrifice so much protecting our freedoms each day, and I will continue to fight for legislation that supports our troops, protects our military readiness, and keeps our homeland secure.

Originally published in the Leavenworth Times print publication on December 24, 2013.