Military Pay: Controversy Over Hostile Fire/Imminent Danger Pay and Family Separation Allowance Rates

Recently, controversy has surfaced over the rate of pay for two specific types of military compensation: Hostile Fire/Imminent Danger Pay (HF/IDP) and the Family Separation Allowance (FSA). The rates for these forms of compensation were temporarily increased forFY2003 by the Emergency Wartime Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2003, and extended by a continuing resolution, H.J.Res. 69. If no further action is taken by Congress, the statutory authority for the higher rates will expire on October 31, 2003. However, both the House and Senate versions of the 2004 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations bill for Iraq and Afghanistan contain provisions to extend the higher rates of HF/IDP and FSA through September 30, 2004. Additionally, both the House and Senate versions of the National Defense Authorization Act forFY2004 have provisions that would permanently raise the rates for HF/IDP and FSA, although the House provision is targeted more narrowly.