Federal Judges to Receive $1 Billion Extra in Back Pay, Benefits

Federal judges will receive an additional $1 billion in pay and benefits from 2015-2024, according to Congressional Budget Office Director Douglas Elmendorf. The CBO Director provided this estimate to Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy of Vermont. It follows a 2012 court decision stating that it was unconstitutional for Congress to enact a law withholding judges’ automatic pay raises; last year the Supreme Court refused an appeal of the decision. According to Article III of the U.S. Constitution, Federal judges are entitled to “a Compensation, which shall not be diminished during their Continuance in Office.” Restitution payments will most likely come from the Judgment Fund, which pays out damages when a court rules against the Federal Government.

National Journal: Court Rulings Mean Judges Will Get an Extra $1B in Pay and Benefits

Congressional Budget Office: Letter to the Honorable Patrick J. Leahy Regarding Budgetary Impact of Court Decisions Related to Salaries and Benefits of Federal Judges

Kansas Senator Resigns Eisenhower Memorial Commission

Senator Jerry Moran of Kansas has resigned from the Eisenhower Memorial Commission, Roll Call is reporting. The Commission has been plagued with disagreements over the design of the Memorial. The design originally selected included “tapestries” depicting scenes from Kansas, where the President grew up. Members of the Eisenhower family and others have criticized the tapestries. According to Senator Moran’s spokeswoman, his “ongoing support for the inclusion of Kansas has led him to conclude that this stance is blocking a memorial to President Eisenhower from completion”.

Roll Call: Jerry Moran Quits Eisenhower Memorial Commission

U.S., Allies Bomb Islamic State Oil Refineries

The United States and allies Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates attacked Syrian oil refineries controlled by the terrorist group Islamic State (IS, or ISIS or ISIL) on Wednesday, The Washington Post reported. In addition to being a source of fuel, oil can bring the terrorist group up to $1 million each day.

According to Pentagon Press Secretary Rear Admiral John Kirby, the military says ISIS will likely “change and adapt inside Syria” in response to American military activity. They could, for instance, hide themselves among civilians in the area. However, the American military is prepared to meet the challenges Rear Admiral Kirby said. “What I can tell you is we are pretty adaptive ourselves and we’re going to react appropriately to try to keep putting the pressure on them.”

The Washington Post: U.S. and Arab Aircraft Attack Oil Refineries Seized by Islamic State in Syria

The Hill: Pentagon Expects ISIS to “Change and Adapt”

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