[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.J. Res. 70 Enrolled Bill (ENR)]

        H.J.Res.70

                       One Hundred Tenth Congress

                                 of the

                        United States of America


                          AT THE SECOND SESSION

          Begun and held at the City of Washington on Thursday,
            the third day of January, two thousand and eight


                            Joint Resolution


 
    Congratulating the Army Reserve on its centennial, which will be 
 formally celebrated on April 23, 2008, and commemorating the historic 
   contributions of its veterans and continuing contributions of its 
 soldiers to the vital national security interests and homeland defense 
                     missions of the United States.

Whereas on January 9, 1905, the 26th President of the United States, 
  Theodore Roosevelt, dispatched a ``special message'' to the Senate 
  and the House of Representatives that ``earnestly recommended 
  passage'' of legislation to establish a Federal reserve force of 
  skilled and trained personnel to bring ``our Army * * * to the 
  highest point of efficiency'';

Whereas on December 14, 1905, the then-Secretary of War and later 27th 
  President of the United States, William Howard Taft, transmitted to 
  the Senate and the House of Representatives a draft bill and letter 
  authored by Major General Leonard Wood, ``strongly commending * * * 
  proposed legislation'' to ``increase the efficiency of the Medical 
  Corps of the Army'' by establishing a Federal reserve force comprised 
  of specially trained personnel;

Whereas in response to the recommendations of President Theodore 
  Roosevelt and senior military and civilian leaders, the 60th Congress 
  enacted Public Law 101, entitled ``An Act to increase the efficiency 
  of the Medical Department of the United States Army'', ch. 150, 35 
  Stat. 66, which was signed into law on April 23, 1908, by President 
  Theodore Roosevelt;

Whereas Public Law 101 authorized the establishment of the first 
  Federal reserve force and the first reservoir of trained officers in 
  a reserve status for a United States military service;

Whereas Congress subsequently adapted, expanded, and amended the 
  reserve organization of the Army to include additional military 
  occupational specialties and capabilities and established the 
  organization today known as the Army Reserve;

Whereas the Army Reserve has played a major role in the defense of our 
  Nation and in furtherance of United States interests for 100 years;

Whereas many distinguished Americans have served honorably and with 
  distinction in the Army Reserve, including Presidents Harry S Truman 
  and Ronald W. Reagan, the former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of 
  Staff, General Henry H. Shelton, Brigadier General Theodore 
  Roosevelt, Jr., Major General William J. Donovan (Director of the 
  Office of Strategic Services during World War II), Drs. Charles H. 
  Mayo and William J. Mayo, and Captain Eddie Rickenbacker;

Whereas the Army Reserve contributed 169,500 soldiers to the Army 
  during World War I;

Whereas the Army Reserve contributed 200,000 soldiers and 29 percent of 
  the Army's officers during World War II and was recognized by General 
  George C. Marshall for its unique and invaluable contributions to the 
  national defense;

Whereas 240,500 soldiers of the Army Reserve were called to active duty 
  during the Korean War;

Whereas more than 60,000 Army Reserve soldiers were called to active 
  duty during the Berlin Crisis;

Whereas 35 Army Reserve units were activated and deployed in support of 
  operations in Vietnam, where they served with distinction and honor;

Whereas the Army Reserve contributed more than 94,000 soldiers in 
  support of Operations Desert Storm and Desert Shield in 1990 and 
  1991;

Whereas the Army Reserve contributed more than 48 percent of the 
  reserve component soldiers mobilized in support of Operation Joint 
  Endeavor and Operation Joint Guard in Bosnia;

Whereas since September 11, 2001, the Army Reserve has provided 
  indispensable and sustained support for Operations Enduring Freedom, 
  Noble Eagle, and Iraqi Freedom, with 98 percent of units either 
  deployed or providing mobilized soldiers, and more than 147,000 
  individual soldiers being mobilized (of which more than 110,000 
  individual soldiers have deployed) in support of the Global War on 
  Terrorism;

Whereas more than 39,000 individual soldiers of the Army Reserve have 
  served multiple deployments since September 11, 2001;

Whereas 13,003 Army Reserve soldiers were forward-deployed in the 
  Central Command Area of Responsibility on October 31, 2007, and 102 
  soldiers of the Army Reserve had borne the ultimate sacrifice in 
  support of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom through 
  October 31, 2007;

Whereas the Army Reserve is organized into 3 components, the Ready 
  Reserve, the Standby Reserve, and the Retired Reserve, which together 
  contain more than 601,000 soldiers;

Whereas the Army cannot go to war or sustain a military operation 
  without the highly skilled and trained personnel of the Army Reserve;

Whereas the Army Reserve provides more than 37 percent of the mission 
  essential combat support and combat service support forces of the 
  Army;

Whereas 100 percent of the Army's Internment Settlement Brigades, Judge 
  Advocate General Units (Legal Support Organizations), Medical Groups, 
  Railway Units, and Training and Exercise Divisions are in the Army 
  Reserve;

Whereas more than 66 percent of the Army's Civil Affairs Units, 
  Psychological Operations Units, Theater Signal Commands, 
  Expeditionary Sustainment Commands, and Medical Capabilities are in 
  the Army Reserve;

Whereas the Army Reserve is no longer a force held in strategic reserve 
  but today functions as an integral and essential operational reserve 
  in support of the missions of the active Army;

Whereas the Army cannot go to war or sustain a military operation 
  without the skilled and trained Ready Reserve and Retired Reserve 
  soldiers of the Army Reserve;

Whereas the Selected Reserve component of the Army Reserve is comprised 
  of more than 30,000 officers and 150,000 enlisted soldiers who have 
  volunteered their personal service in defense of the Constitution and 
  their fellow citizens;

Whereas the Army and the Army Reserve are recognized as institutions 
  that have played historic and decisive roles in promoting the cause 
  of individual dignity and the value of integration;

Whereas nearly one in four Selected Reserve soldiers and more than one 
  in five Individual Ready Reserve soldiers are women whose 
  contributions are consistently characterized by a high degree of 
  commitment, professionalism, and military bearing;

Whereas the ability of individual soldiers and the Army Reserve to 
  perform their wartime missions is contingent on the active engagement 
  and support of their families, employers, and local communities;

Whereas the Army Reserve is a community-based force with an active 
  presence in 1,100 communities and 975 Army Reserve centers in 
  operation throughout the United States;

Whereas Sir Winston Churchill once remarked that ``Reservists are twice 
  the citizen'', a sentiment that applies especially to the soldiers of 
  the Army Reserve; and

Whereas the Army Reserve makes these contributions to the security of 
  our Nation in return for less than 5 percent of the Army's total 
  budget: Now, therefore, be it

    Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United 
States of America in Congress assembled, That the Congress--
        (1) congratulates the Army Reserve on the occasion of the 100th 
    anniversary of the enactment of its original authorizing law;
        (2) recognizes and commends the Army Reserve for the selfless 
    and dedicated service of its past and present citizen-soldiers 
    whose personal courage, contributions, and sacrifices have helped 
    preserve the freedom and advance the national security and homeland 
    defense of the United States; and
        (3) extends its gratitude to the veterans, soldiers, families, 
    and employers whose essential and constant support have enabled the 
    Army Reserve to accomplish its vital missions and renews our 
    Nation's commitment in support of their noble efforts.

                               Speaker of the House of Representatives.

                            Vice President of the United States and    
                                               President of the Senate.