The recent cuts to the cost-of-living adjustments may affect more than just military retirees under the age of 62.
According to The Associated Press, the 1 percent reduction to the annual COLA increases for working-age military retirees extends to survivors who receive annuity payments under the Survivor Benefit Plan. The insurance plan provides surviving spouses with a monthly payment to make up for the loss of retirement benefits and income. Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.) said in a statement that survivors can receive up to 55 percent of the retiree's amount of coverage.
"Those who have kept us safe and taken bullets for us shouldn't be singled out to sacrifice even more," Ayotte said. "I am continuing my efforts to immediately right this wrong and to ensure our military retirees, survivors and combat-wounded receive the full benefits they've earned."
The COLA reductions were one of the most controversial measures in the National Defense Authorization Act, which was signed by President Barack Obama in late December. The Washington Post reported that a new Veteran Affairs bill featuring a provision that would reverse the pension cuts was recently introduced in the Senate by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.).