[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 90 (Tuesday, June 24, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1314]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[[Page E1314]]
        NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 1998

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                               speech of

                       HON. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, June 23, 1997

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 1119) to 
     authorize appropriations for fiscal years 1998 and 1999 for 
     military activities of the Department of Defense, to 
     prescribe military personnel strengths for fiscal years 1998 
     and 1999, and for other purposes.


  Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Chairman, the amendment to 
H.R. 1119 that I bring to the desk requires the Defense Department, by 
January 1, 1998, to submit to Congress a report on the feasibility and 
desirability of converting active guard reserve (AGR) personnel (active 
duty reservists who are involved with organizing, administering, 
recruiting, instructing, or training other reservists) to dual-status 
technicians.
  Mr. Chairman, my involvement in this issue comes from the best 
example of the democratic process at work; a constituent request. 
During the 105th Congress, a constituent implored me to look into this 
program, ask for a study that would hopefully lead to a change in it by 
converting AGR personnel to dual-status technicians in order to save 
the tax payer more than 2.61 billion dollars per year. This number has 
been confirmed by General Accounting Office studies and should not be 
ignored. Therefore, I ask that Congress require the Secretary of 
Defense to conduct its own study which I and many others believe, will 
yield the same evidence from the G.A.O. and Rand Corporation studies.
  In the current political climate where Federal governmental agencies 
and programs like N.E.A. and welfare are being scrutinized for their 
relevance and cost-effectiveness--Pentagon programs should be subject 
to the same scrutiny and analysis, DOD should be required to undergo 
the same type of introspection, study and analysis. My amendment 
requiring the DOD to undertake this study is non-controversial, 
pragmatic and necessary if Congress is to gain a full and objective 
picture of the age--dual status technician issue and its possible 
reform. I thank you for your consideration of this amendment.

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