Legislative Awareness Week October 6-12, 2019

AFSA Preamble With reverence for God and Country, and being ever mindful of our responsibility to aid in maintaining a superior defense for our beloved country; our interest in the welfare of persons who served and are serving in the Air Force; our devotion to our fellow enlisted members and their families in fortune and distress; and our reverence for the memory of those departed; we unite to further the aims and objectives of this association. WHY WE EXIST AS AN ASSOCIATION. OUR PREAMBLE OPENS US UP TO NUMEROUS AREAS, BUT IN THE CONTEXT OF LEGISLATIVE AWARENESS: MAINTAIN AEROSPACE DEFENSE = PROCUREMENT, RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT, MODERNIZATION OBTAIN HIGHEST CALIBER = RECRUIT & RETAIN FOR USAF (AFSA MEMBERSHIP IS SECONDARY) WELFARE OF PERSONS = PAY & BENEFITS (MILPAY, MEDICAL, RETIREMENT, ETC) TO INCLUDE FAMILY MEMBERS! AIMS & OBJECTIVES = OUTLINED IN THE ANNUAL LEGISLATIVE PLATFORM APPROVED BY OR MEMBERS AT AFSA’s ANNUAL CONVENTION

AFSA Mission To advocate improved quality-of-life and economic fairness to support the well-being of our enlisted members and their families.

Vision To be the premier professional military and veteran service organization of choice for the enlisted corps and their families.

Congress Basics EACH NUMBERED CONGRESS LASTS FOR TWO YEARS. ALL PUBLIC LAWS SIGNED DURING THAT CONGRESS BEGIN WITH THAT NUMBER. FOR EXAMPLE: PUBLIC LAW 115-1, PUBLIC LAW 115-2, ETC. Note that unpassed legislation expires at the end of each numbered Congress; it does not carry over from one Congress to the next.

Congress Basics WHILE THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS SOUNDS SIMPLE, IT IS ALWAYS POLITI-CALLY INFLUENCED, AND 535 ELECTED OFFICIALS ARE DRIVEN BY PERSONAL OPINIONS, DIFFERENT LEVELS OF EXPERIENCE, AND OUTSIDE FORCES. Note that unpassed legislation expires at the end of each numbered Congress; it does not carry over from one Congress to the next.

Congress Basics 18 PERCENT OF THE MEMBERS OF THE 115TH CONGRESS ARE MILITARY VETERANS. THEREFORE, A MAJOR AFSA MISSION IS TO EDUCATE THE OTHER 82 PERCENT! Note that unpassed legislation expires at the end of each numbered Congress; it does not carry over from one Congress to the next.

What does that mean? And how does it affect me? Congress Basics What does that mean? And how does it affect me? JUST LIKE THE USAF HAS IT’S OWN LANGUAGE AND ACRONYMS, SO TOO DOES THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS

Congress Basics Appropriations vs. Authorizations AN EASY ANALOGY IS YOUR GROCERIES // YOU “APPROPRIATE” A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF YOUR BUDGET TOWARDS GROCERY SHOPPING // YOU “AUTHORIZE” $X FOR MILK, $Y FOR BREAD, $Z FOR VEGETABLES, ETC APPROPRIATIONS AND AUTHORIZATIONS ARE INTRICATELY LINKED BUT ONLY APPROPRIATIONS ARE CONSIDERED “MANDATORY LEGISLATION” // THERE ARE 12 ANNUAL APPROPRIATIONS BILLS EACH YEAR, DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS BEING JUST ONE, THAT FUND THE COUNTRY // AS LONG AS YOU HAVE THE FUNDING (APPROPRIATION) YOU CAN IN THEORY SURVIVE WITHOUT A SEPARATE SPENDING PLAN (AUTHORIZATION) // AUTHORIZATION LANGUAGE CAN BE INCLUDED IN AN APPROPRIATIONS BILL, ELIMINATING THE NEED FOR A SEPARATE BILL AUTHORIZATION BILLS (NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT) WILL OFTEN HAVE PROVISIONS OF INTEREST IN ADDITION TO BUDGET // 2005 NDAA – 21 DAYS PERMISSIVE TDY AUTHORIZED FOR ADOPTIONS // SOMETIMES AN NDAA IS INTERESTING BECAUSE OF WHAT IT DOESN’T HAVE IN IT // 2018 NDAA – HOUSE VERSION DOES NOT ADDRESS MILITARY PAY RAISES // BY LAW, ECI SAYS 2.4% AND BY NOT SPECIFYING ANOTHER PERCENTAGE THE HOUSE IS SAYING FOLLOW THE ECI // SENATE VERSION LISTED PAY RAISES AT 2.1% SO THEY ARE SUGGESTING SOMETHING DIFFERENT FROM EXISTING LAW (ECI).

2018 Legislative Gains • A full, 2.6 percent active duty pay raise   • A full, 2.6 percent active duty pay raise • Blocked Additional Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) Reductions • Blocked additional TRICARE fee increases in FY 2019 NDAA • Garnered additional improvements to 12304b orders, allowing activated members of the Guard and Reserve to have access to TRICARE coverage/earn GI Bill and early retirement credit • Extended TRICARE Dental and Vision Insurance program for active duty family members • EVEN WITH NUMEROUS BUDGETARY HURDLES BEFORE US, GOOD WORK IS STILL BEING DONE BY AFSA ON CAPITOL HILL! Protecting BAH and TRICARE benefits were last year’s chief accomplishments CONTINUING THE PAY RAISE FIGHT SEEMS TO BE AN ANNUAL EVENT Extending VETERAN STATUS TO RESERVE COMPONENT MEMBERS IS a PRIME example of “taking care of our own.”

2018 Legislative Gains   • Expansion of veterans' access to care by consolidating seven existing community care programs into one, eliminating the Choice Act, and integrating providers into a broader network (in VA MISSION Act) • Protected individual unemployability and COLA benefits for disabled veterans • Permanent appropriation for the payment of death gratuities and related benefits to survivors of deceased members of the armed forces during a period of lapsed appropriations EVEN WITH NUMEROUS BUDGETARY HURDLES BEFORE US, GOOD WORK IS STILL BEING DONE BY AFSA ON CAPITOL HILL! Protecting BAH and TRICARE benefits were last year’s chief accomplishments CONTINUING THE PAY RAISE FIGHT SEEMS TO BE AN ANNUAL EVENT Extending VETERAN STATUS TO RESERVE COMPONENT MEMBERS IS a PRIME example of “taking care of our own.”

Legislative Action Center Please take time to visit the Legislative Action Center on the AFSA Webpage! Here you will find information on AFSA's Legislative Program to include the Annual Legislative Platform, surveys, Chapter Legislative Involvement, Communicating with Elected Officials, and tips for conduction your own congressional office visit.

Legislative Action Center The Voter Voice program allows you to communicate directly with your elected officials using sample letters on hot button issues, or, you can craft a letter of you own on an issue of your choosing. Voter Voice can help you figure out who represents you, provides contact information for local media outlets, provide information on upcoming hearings and other congressional activity.

AFSA FOR LIFE www.hqafsa.org @AFSAHQ Air Force Sergeants Association