H.R. 9465 – Combat Pay Protection Act

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Updated July 1, 2026 at 6:12 AM UTC

The Combat Pay Protection Act would give service members a one‑time raise and then yearly raises for certain bonuses, incentives and special pays. The raises are tied to either inflation (the Consumer Price Index) or the increase in basic pay—whichever is larger—so that these special payments keep up with cost‑of‑living and basic‑pay growth. The bill also clarifies the language that governs bonus and incentive pay for reserve‑component members.

Key Provisions

Effective Jan. 1 after the law passes, the Defense Secretary must increase each covered special or incentive pay by the greater of (a) the CPI increase since the last raise, or (b) the percentage increase in average basic pay since the last raise.
Starting the second year after enactment and each year thereafter, the same rule applies using the most recent year’s CPI change or basic‑pay change, whichever is higher.
These adjustments apply even if other laws set a maximum limit on the amount of the special or incentive pay.
The Secretary must publish a table by Dec. 31 of the enactment year showing each covered pay, its last increase date, the amount of the one‑time increase, and the new total amount.
The bill updates the wording in the law for reserve components, replacing “special or incentive pay” with “bonus, incentive, or special pay” and removing outdated language about who makes the decision.

Legislative Activity

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1 earlier action

HouseIntro Referral Latest Action

Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services.

Armed Services Committee

June 25, 2026

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

June 25, 2026

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services.

Armed Services Committee

June 25, 2026

Bill Text

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Introduced in HouseIssued June 25, 2026

I

119th CONGRESS

2d Session

H. R. 9465

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

June 25, 2026

Mr. Hamadeh of Arizona (for himself, Mr. Vindman, Mr. Mills, and Mr. Davis of North Carolina) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services

A BILL

To amend chapter 19 of title 37, United States Code, to provide for a one-time corrective increase and annual adjustments of certain special and incentive pays for members of the Armed Forces, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Combat Pay Protection Act.

2.

One-time corrective increase and annual adjustments for certain special and incentive pays for members of the Armed Forces; clarification of special and incentive pay authorities for members of reserve components

(a)

Adjustments

(1)

In general

Chapter 19 of title 37, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section:

1017.

Adjustments to amounts of special and incentive pays

(a)

Initial increase

Effective on January 1 of the first year that begins after the date of the enactment of the Combat Pay Protection Act, the Secretary of Defense shall increase the amount of each covered special and incentive pay (rounded to the nearest dollar) for members of the Armed Forces by the greater of—

(1)

the percentage by which the CPI for the base quarter of the preceding year exceeds the CPI for the base quarter preceding the last statutory or administrative increase date for such covered special and incentive pay; and

(2)

the percentage by which the average rate of basic pay for members of the Armed Forces under section 203(a) of this title in effect on such January 1 exceeds the average rate of basic pay for members of the Armed Forces under such section 203(a) that was in effect on the last statutory or administrative increase date for such covered special and incentive pay.

(b)

Recurring increase

Effective on January 1 of the second year that begins after the date of the enactment of the Combat Pay Protection Act, and each January 1 thereafter, the Secretary of Defense shall increase the amount of each covered special and incentive pay (rounded to the nearest dollar) for members of the Armed Forces by the greater of—

(1)

the percentage by which the CPI for the base quarter of the preceding year exceeds the CPI for the base quarter of the year before the preceding year; and

(2)

the percentage by which the rate of basic pay for members of the Armed Forces under section 203(a) of this title is increased on such January 1 from the rate of basic pay for such members in effect the preceding year.

(c)

Relationship to limits of amounts in law

The Secretary shall increase the amount of each covered special and incentive pay in accordance with subsection (a) or (b) notwithstanding any limitation on the maximum amount of such pay specified in any other provision of law.

(d)

Definitions

In this section:

(1)

The term base quarter for any year is the three-month period ending on September 30 of such year.

(2)

The term covered special and incentive pay means—

(A)

a bonus, incentive, or special pay payable under chapter 5 of this title; and

(B)

the allowance payable under section 427 of this title.

(3)

The term CPI means the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the Department of Labor.

(4)

The term last statutory or administrative increase date means the date of the most recent adjustment to an amount of pay that—

(A)

reflects a revision based on objective economic indicators or an increase to basic pay for members of the Armed Forces; or

(B)

was made by Act of Congress.

.

(2)

Publication of one-time adjustments

Not later than December 31 of the year of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall publish in the Federal Register a table that identifies—

(A)

each covered special and incentive pay (as defined in section 1017 of title 37, United States Code, as added by subsection (a) of this section);

(B)

the last statutory or administration increase date (as defined in such section 1017) of each such pay;

(C)

the amount of increase of such pay after the application of subsection (a) of such section 1017; and

(D)

the total amount of such pay after the application of such subsection (a).

(b)

Clarification of special and incentive pay authorities for members of reserve components

Section 357 of title 37, United States Code, is amended—

(1)

by striking special or incentive pay and inserting bonus, incentive, or special pay; and

(2)

by striking if the Secretary concerned and all that follows and inserting a period.