[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 227 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







106th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 227

  Expressing the sense of the Senate in appreciation of the National 
        Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            November 9, 1999

    Mr. Bond (for himself, Mr. Bryan, Mr. DeWine, Mr. Bingaman, Mr. 
  Johnson, Mr. Kennedy, and Mr. Rockefeller) submitted the following 
   resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  Expressing the sense of the Senate in appreciation of the National 
        Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve.

Whereas the National Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve 
        (NCESGR) was established by Presidential proclamation issued in 1972;
Whereas national defense planners at that time, anticipating the end of the 
        draft under the Military Selective Service Act, foresaw the potential 
        that the Nation's reserve component forces would be used increasingly to 
        meet national security requirements, that the operations of members' 
        civilian employers would be disrupted by that development, that 
        employers accustomed to National Guard and Reserve service being an 
        alternative to compulsory active duty service would question the 
        necessity for volunteer participation in the Nation's community-based 
        defense forces, and that the employers' support for Guard and Reserve 
        service would erode;
Whereas, to counteract those potential problems, the National Committee for 
        Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve was chartered to develop 
        public understanding of the National Guard and Reserve forces and to 
        enlist the support of employers of members of the reserve components in 
        the development of personnel policies and practices that encourage 
        employee participation in National Guard and Reserve programs;
Whereas, for over 25 years, the National Committee for Employer Support of the 
        Guard and Reserve has informed employers of the ever-increasing 
        importance of the National Guard and Reserve, explaining to employers 
        the necessity for, and the role of, these forces in national defense;
Whereas there are over 4,200 Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) 
        volunteers from among the business, civic, and community leaders in 
        committees in all 50 States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the 
        Virgin Islands, and Guam;
Whereas the ESGR volunteers carry out a variety of programs and services to 
        inform communities and employers about the vital role of the National 
        Guard and Reserve;
Whereas ESGR volunteers honor with suitable recognition the many employers who 
        actively support employee participation in the National Guard and 
        Reserve;
Whereas ESGR volunteers educate employers of members in the National Guard and 
        Reserve and those employees about the rights and obligations regarding 
        military leave that were established or reaffirmed by the Uniformed 
        Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1974;
Whereas, to underscore the important role of the National Guard and Reserve in 
        our national defense, the National Committee for Employer Support of the 
        Guard and Reserve developed the Statement of Support program under which 
        employers of members of the reserve components are invited to declare 
        their support for their employees' participation in the National Guard 
        and Reserve;
Whereas the first statement of support under the program was signed by the 
        Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of General Motors in 
        the Office of the Secretary of Defense on December 13, 1972;
Whereas the next day, President Richard Nixon signed a statement of support 
        covering all Federal civilian employees and, since then, Presidents 
        Ford, Carter, Reagan, Bush, and Clinton have all made the same 
        commitment;
Whereas thousands of other employers nationwide have likewise signed statements 
        of support for service of their employees in the reserve components;
Whereas nearly 50 percent of America's total military might is composed of 
        National Guard and Reserve component members;
Whereas despite the ending of the Cold War in 1989, the military commitments of 
        the United States have not diminished;
Whereas the Nation's reserve components are being called upon more than ever 
        before to contribute to the protection of our national security 
        interests and are critical contributors to that mission;
Whereas, during the Persian Gulf War in 1990 and 1991, more than 260,000 
        Reserves were called to active duty to support military operations in 
        the Persian Gulf region;
Whereas National Guard and Reserve members contribute over 13,000,000 duty days 
        yearly in support of military operations and exercises worldwide, which 
        is a rate of duty that is 13 times greater than the rate of duty 
        experienced during the Cold War; and
Whereas employers, public officials, military leaders, and military members rely 
        on the National Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve 
        to promote public and private understanding of the National Guard and 
        Reserve in order to obtain the employer and community support that is 
        necessary to ensure the availability and readiness of reserve component 
        forces: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That--
            (1) it is the sense of the Senate that the National 
        Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve makes 
        vital contributions to enabling the National Guard and Reserve 
        to support the national security strategy while, at the same 
        time, acting on behalf of the Nation's employers to ensure that 
        their interests are represented with equity and fairness; and
            (2) the Senate congratulates the National Committee for 
        Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, its staff, and 
        volunteers for their commitment to our national defense, for 
        their contribution of time and talent, and for maintaining the 
        much needed support of employers and communities for the 
        National Guard and Reserve.
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