To improve the review and effectiveness of the cost of living adjustments to pay and benefits for members of the Armed Forces and civilian employees of the Department of Defense whose permanent duty station is located in the 19th Congressional District of California, and for other purposes.

This bill tells the Pentagon to take a close look at how cost-of-living pay is calculated for service members and Defense Department civilian workers who are stationed in California’s 19th Congressional District. It notes that living costs there are well above the national average and that the current way of figuring cost-of-living pay may be off, since the area may exceed the 107% cost-of-living index used today. Congress says these calculations should be reviewed regularly to make sure pay keeps up with real costs like housing, groceries, transportation, and health care.

Within one year of the law taking effect, the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness must deliver a report on how these pay adjustments are figured for this district. The report must explain the data and methods used, examine whether nearby military commissaries or exchanges should affect the math, decide if parts of the district should count as “high-cost” areas, look at whether the Monterey commissary really lowers local costs, consider if some areas should get a higher adjustment, and compare how Monterey and Santa Clara are treated today.

Key points:

• Who is affected: Active-duty service members and Defense Department civilian employees with a permanent duty station in California’s 19th Congressional District.
• What changes: Requires a detailed review and report on cost-of-living pay; it does not directly raise pay but could lead to changes based on the findings.
• When: The report is due within one year after the law is enacted.