Combat Pay Protection Act
Sponsored By: Representative Hamadeh, Abraham J. [R-AZ-8]
Introduced
Summary
Automatic, inflation- and pay-scale-based increases to certain military special and incentive pays. This bill would create a one-time corrective increase and set up yearly adjustments tied to either the Consumer Price Index or growth in basic military pay, whichever is larger.
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- Active-duty service members would get a one-time corrective increase effective January 1 after enactment and annual January 1 increases thereafter based on the greater of CPI growth or basic pay growth. The adjustments apply to covered bonuses, incentive, and special pays and allow increases even if a legal cap exists.
- Reserve members would see clearer bonus authority. The bill replaces the phrase "special or incentive pay" with "bonus, incentive, or special pay" and removes a conditional restriction to simplify pay authority for Reserve Components.
- The Secretary of Defense must publish a table in the Federal Register by December 31 of the enactment year showing each covered pay, its last increase date, the amount of the Sec. 1017 increase, and the new total after adjustment.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Higher military special and incentive pay
If enacted, this bill would raise certain special and incentive pays for members of the Armed Forces. The first increase would take effect on January 1 of the first year after enactment. A recurring increase would take effect on January 1 of the second year after enactment and each January 1 thereafter. Each increase would be the larger of two percent changes: the change in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI) for the base quarter (the three months ending Sept. 30) or the change in average basic pay under 37 U.S.C. § 203(a). Increases would be rounded to the nearest dollar and would apply to covered pays (bonuses, incentive or special pays under chapter 5, and the allowance under section 427). The bill would require the Secretary to apply these increases even when other law sets a maximum amount for those pays.
Clarify Reserve bonus pay wording
If enacted, this bill would change wording in Reserve Component pay law. It would replace the phrase "special or incentive pay" with "bonus, incentive, or special pay." It would also remove the conditional clause that begins "if the Secretary concerned." This would clarify pay rules for reservists and pay administrators.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Hamadeh, Abraham J. [R-AZ-8]
AZ • R
Cosponsors
Rep. Vindman, Eugene Simon [D-VA-7]
VA • D
Sponsored 6/25/2026
Rep. Mills, Cory [R-FL-7]
FL • R
Sponsored 6/25/2026
Rep. Davis, Donald G. [D-NC-1]
NC • D
Sponsored 6/25/2026
Rep. Schmidt, Derek [R-KS-2]
KS • R
Sponsored 8/3/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov