▁non - part isan ▁issue ▁and ▁had ▁the ▁clo ak rooms ▁turned ▁into ▁offices . ▁ ▁By ▁the ▁time ▁R ivers ▁became ▁the ▁chairman , ▁he ▁was ▁well ▁known ▁for ▁being ▁a ▁strong ▁supp orter ▁of ▁the ▁American ▁military ▁in ▁general , ▁and ▁of ▁en list ed ▁military ▁service ▁members ▁in ▁particular . ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 3 ▁he ▁established , ▁through ▁the ▁vehicle ▁of ▁the ▁House – S en ate ▁Conference ▁Committee , ▁the ▁principle ▁of ▁linking ▁military ▁retired ▁pay ▁to ▁increases ▁in ▁the ▁Cons umer ▁Price ▁Index , ▁similar ▁to ▁the ▁practice ▁for ▁retired ▁federal ▁civil ▁servants . ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 4 ▁he ▁champion ed ▁the ▁cause ▁of ▁" h ospital ▁rights ," ▁guarantee ing ▁medical ▁care ▁in ▁military ▁hosp it als ▁for ▁military ▁ret ire es ▁and ▁their ▁depend ents . ▁After ▁becoming ▁chairman , ▁he ▁helped ▁secure ▁the ▁first ▁military ▁pay ▁raise ▁since ▁ 1 9 5 2 ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 5 ▁despite ▁opposition ▁from ▁the ▁Secretary ▁of ▁Def ense ▁Mc N am ara ▁and ▁President ▁Johnson . ▁R ivers ▁was ▁instrument al ▁in ▁establish ing ▁the ▁additional ▁en list ed ▁pay ▁grade ▁of ▁E - 9 , ▁and ▁he ▁helped ▁secure ▁mobile ▁home ▁allow ances ▁and ▁cheap ▁air ▁far es ▁for ▁soldiers ▁returning ▁from ▁V iet ▁Nam . ▁ ▁R ivers ▁strongly ▁supported ▁the ▁constant ▁upgrad ing ▁of ▁US ▁military ▁prepared ness , ▁regardless ▁of ▁the ▁cost . ▁He ▁supported ▁making ▁all ▁US ▁Navy ▁ships ▁nuclear ▁power ed , ▁and ▁he ▁champion ed