[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 73 (Monday, June 13, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: June 13, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
        NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 1995

                                 ______


                               speech of

                      HON. G.V. (SONNY) MONTGOMERY

                             of mississippi

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 8, 1994

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 4301) to 
     authorize appropriations for fiscal year 1995 for military 
     activities of the Department of Defense, to prescribe 
     military personnel strengths for fiscal year 1994, and for 
     other purposes:

  Mr. MONTGOMERY. Mr. Chairman, I want to commend the chairman for 
offering, on behalf of Mr. Pickett, an amendment extending to members 
of the Coast Guard who are leaving service the transition benefits 
available to members of the Armed Forces. The Secretary of 
Transportation will pay for the cost of this extension. I think it is 
sound public policy to use the framework of these existing programs to 
provide these valuable transition benefits, and I commend both 
gentlemen for their actions in making this possible. I would like to 
insert in the Record at this point an exchange of letters between 
myself and Chairman Dellums concerning one of those benefits, the 
Servicemembers Occupational Conversion and Training Act.

                                  Committee on Armed Services,

                                     Washington, DC, May 17, 1994.
     Hon. G.V. (Sonny) Montgomery,
     Chairman, House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, Washington, 
         DC.
       Dear Sonny: When the National Defense Authorization Act for 
     Fiscal year 1995 (H.R. 4301) is considered by the House later 
     this week, I plan to offer a number of amendments en bloc 
     which are acceptable to the House Armed Services Committee.
       One of those amendments would expand the authority 
     contained in the Defense Conversion, Reinvestment, and 
     Transition Assistance Act of 1992, part of Public Law 102-
     484, to authorize the Department of Veterans Affairs to 
     provide job training benefits to members of the Coast Guard 
     who are leaving service early because of reductions in force 
     levels. The Secretary of Transportation would bear any 
     additional cost resulting from this expansion.
       Since this is a matter of interest to your committee as 
     well as the House Armed Services Committee, I would like to 
     have your views on this matter before I offer this amendment.
           Sincerely,
                                                Ronald V. Dellums,
                                                         Chairman.
                                  ____



                               Committee on Veterans' Affairs,

                                     Washington, DC, May 18, 1994.
     Hon. Ron Dellums,
     Chairman, Committee on Armed Services, Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. Chairman: I have read your letter of May 17th and 
     reviewed the proposed change in the existing Servicemembers 
     Occupational Conversion and Training Act which you plan to 
     offer as an amendment to the Defense Authorization Bill this 
     week. These are good programs we have in place, and sharing 
     them with members of the Coast Guard at no cost to either the 
     Department of Defense, the Department of Veterans Affairs, or 
     the Department of Labor is sound policy.
       Although this is a matter that is partly within the 
     jurisdiction of our Committee, I will interpose no objection 
     to its consideration by the House in the manner you 
     indicated.
       I appreciate your sensitivity to our Committee's 
     jurisdiction.
           Sincerely,
                                          G.V. (Sonny) Montgomery,
     Chairman.

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