[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 559 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 559

  To provide benefits under the Post-Deployment/Mobilization Respite 
 Absence program for certain periods before the implementation of the 
                                program.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 10, 2009

 Mr. Wyden (for himself, Mr. Grassley, Mr. Harkin, Ms. Klobuchar, Mr. 
   Menendez, Mr. Nelson of Nebraska, and Mr. Roberts) introduced the 
 following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on 
                             Armed Services

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To provide benefits under the Post-Deployment/Mobilization Respite 
 Absence program for certain periods before the implementation of the 
                                program.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. BENEFITS UNDER POST-DEPLOYMENT/MOBILIZATION RESPITE ABSENCE 
              PROGRAM FOR CERTAIN PERIODS BEFORE IMPLEMENTATION OF 
              PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--Under regulations prescribed by the Secretary of 
Defense, the Secretary concerned shall provide any member or former 
member of the Armed Forces with the benefits specified in subsection 
(b) if the member or former member would, on any day during the period 
beginning on January 19, 2007, and ending on the date of the 
implementation of the Post-Deployment/Mobilization Respite Absence 
(PDMRA) program by the Secretary concerned, have qualified for a day of 
administrative absence under the Post-Deployment/Mobilization Respite 
Absence program had the program been in effect during such period.
    (b) Benefits.--The benefits specified in this subsection are the 
following:
            (1) In the case of an individual who is a former member of 
        the Armed Forces at the time of the provision of benefits under 
        this section, payment of an amount not to exceed $200 for each 
        day the individual would have qualified for a day of 
        administrative absence as described in subsection (a) during 
        the period specified in that subsection.
            (2) In the case of an individual who is a member of the 
        Armed Forces at the time of the provision of benefits under 
        this section, either one day of administrative absence or 
        payment of an amount not to exceed $200, as selected by the 
        Secretary concerned, for each day the individual would have 
        qualified for a day of administrative absence as described in 
        subsection (a) during the period specified in that subsection.
    (c) Exclusion of Certain Former Members.--A former member of the 
Armed Forces is not eligible under this section for the benefits 
specified in subsection (b)(1) if the former member was discharged or 
released from the Armed Forces under other than honorable conditions.
    (d) Maximum Number of Days of Benefits Providable.--The number of 
days of benefits providable to a member or former member of the Armed 
Forces under this section may not exceed 40 days of benefits.
    (e) Form of Payment.--The paid benefits providable under subsection 
(b) may be paid in a lump sum or installments, at the election of the 
Secretary concerned.
    (f) Construction With Other Pay and Leave.--The benefits provided a 
member or former member of the Armed Forces under this section are in 
addition to any other pay, absence, or leave provided by law.
    (g) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) The term ``Post-Deployment/Mobilization Respite Absence 
        program'' means the program of a military department to provide 
        days of administrative absence not chargeable against available 
        leave to certain deployed or mobilized members of the Armed 
        Forces in order to assist such members in reintegrating into 
        civilian life after deployment or mobilization.
            (2) The term ``Secretary concerned'' has the meaning given 
        that term in section 101(5) of title 37, United States Code.
    (h) Termination.--
            (1) In general.--The authority to provide benefits under 
        this section shall expire on the date that is one year after 
        the date of the enactment of this Act.
            (2) Construction.--Expiration under this subsection of the 
        authority to provide benefits under this section shall not 
        affect the utilization of any day of administrative absence 
        provided a member of the Armed Forces under subsection (b)(2), 
        or the payment of any payment authorized a member or former 
        member of the Armed Forces under subsection (b), before the 
        expiration of the authority in this section.
                                 <all>