[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.J. Res. 70 Received in Senate (RDS)]

  2d Session
H. J. RES. 70


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             April 9, 2008

                                Received

_______________________________________________________________________

                            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.

            Passed the House of Representatives April 8, 2008.

            Attest:

                                            LORRAINE C. MILLER,

                                                                 Clerk.