Feb. 11 (Bloomberg) — Representative Adam Smith, the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, said U.S. troop readiness for future wars will suffer unless politically unpopular cuts are made to military pensions.

Smith of Washington said he holds a minority view even within his own party in supporting modest reductions of cost-of-living adjustments for payments to military retirees.

Lawmakers in the House and Senate are working on proposals to reverse all or part of the cut in benefits that was included in the budget deal reached in December. Smith said the cut was necessary so that Congress isn't forced to further reduce the defense budget and hurt the military's ability to train and buy equipment.