[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 60 (Thursday, April 29, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4448-S4451]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. KERRY (for himself, Mr. Bond, Mr. Bingaman, Ms. Landrieu, 
        Mr. Harkin, Mr. Lieberman, Mr. Wellstone, Mr. Kohl, Mr. Burns, 
        Mr. Robb, Mr. Edwards, Mr. Levin, Mr. Graham, Ms. Snowe, Mr. 
        Akaka, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Cleland, Mr. Kennedy, Mr. Jeffords, Ms. 
        Collins, Mr. Abraham, Mr. Leahy, Mr. Baucus, Mr. Kerrey, Mr. 
        Grassley, Mr. Moynihan, Mrs Lincoln, Mr. Bayh, Mr. Chafee, Mr. 
        Lautenberg, Mr. Cochran, and Mr. Daschle):
  S. 918. A bill to authorize the Small Business Administration to 
provide financial and business development assistance to military 
reservists' small business, and for other purposes; to the Committee on 
Small Business.


          MILITARY RESERVIST SMALL BUSINESS RELIEF ACT OF 1999

  Mr. KERRY. Mr. President, I come to the floor today to introduce the 
Military Reservist Small Business Relief Act of 1999. I offer it on 
behalf of myself and 30 other colleagues: Senators Bond, Bingaman, 
Landrieu, Harkin, Lieberman, Wellstone, Kohl, Burns, Robb, Edwards, 
Levin, Graham, Snowe, Akaka, Murray, Cleland, Kennedy, Jeffords, 
Collins, Abraham, Leahy, Baucus, Bob Kerrey of Nebraska, Grassley, 
Moynihan, Lincoln, Bayh, Chafee, Lautenberg, Cochran, and Daschle. I 
thank these Senators for their support.
  Mr. President, a number of those colleagues I listed serve on either 
the Small Business Committee, the Armed Services Committee or on the 
Veterans Affairs Committee. However, all have joined me in a universal 
concern that I think goes across the aisle for the problems that 
reservists face when they are called suddenly to active duty. This bill 
will help small businesses whose owner, manager, or key employee is 
called to active duty. Most immediately, we are obviously looking at 
the question of service in Kosovo, but the act also applies to future 
contingency operations, military conflicts, or national emergencies.
  Since 1973, we have taken pains as a result of the Vietnam experience 
to build an all-volunteer military. Our reservists are much more than 
just weekend warriors. When they are called, they are an essential 
ingredient of any kind of long-term or significant deployment of 
American forces. I think everyone knows the contributions they have 
made as soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines and Coast Guard, serving our 
country in extraordinary ways in recent years.
  The National Guard and the Reservists have become a critical 
component of U.S. force deployment. In the Persian Gulf war they 
accounted for more than 46 percent of our total forces. The Acting 
Assistant Secretary for Defense for Reserve Affairs just Tuesday said 
that ``Reservists are absolutely vital to our national military 
strategy.''
  To support the NATO operations in the Balkans, Secretary of Defense 
Cohen has asked for and received the authorization to call up members 
of the Selected Reserve to active duty. President Clinton has 
authorized deployment of 33,000 reservists, but the initial callup 
includes only about 2,100 personnel. These first reservists come from 
Alabama, Arizona, California, Kansas, Indiana, Michigan, Pennsylvania 
and Wisconsin. A total of 1.4 million Americans currently serve in our 
seven Reserve components of the U.S. Armed Forces.
  When these folks are called up, even though they know they are in the 
Reserves and even though they know at some point in time they might be 
called to meet an emergency of our country, the fact is that nothing 
prepares their families or them for the remarkably fast transition that 
takes place. There are obviously emotional and personal hardships 
people have to deal with, but in addition to that there are significant 
financial realities.
  I have heard first-hand, talking to a number of vets who suffered 
this callup process, how difficult it is. One veteran told the ``Boston 
Globe'' on the 1-year anniversary of the Persian Gulf War:

       The Gulf War is going to wind up having caused a lot of 
     stress for me personally and for my family. It didn't just 
     take a year out of my life. It's going to take a minimum of 
     another two years, because that's how long it's going to take 
     for us to catch up.

  I think it is imperative that we help these families and communities 
to bridge the gap between the moment when the troops leave and when 
they return. We are talking about people who fill all of the normal, 
everyday positions of commerce that help to keep this country strong--
bankers, barbers, mechanics, merchants, farmers, doctors, Realtors, 
owners of fast food restaurants--all kinds of positions that reservists 
hold and ultimately leave when they go to active duty.
  As some veterans of the Persian Gulf War know all too well, they left 
their businesses and their companies in good shape. They were earning a 
living, they were providing a service, they were adding to the tax 
base, they were creating jobs, and then they returned to hardships that 
range from bankruptcy to financial ruin; from deserted clients to 
layoffs.
  Even if you are not a small business owner, one has to ask what 
happens to one's family or to one's business or company during a 6- to 
7-month deployment if you or your key employee suddenly has to depart. 
Particularly in rural areas and small towns it can be extremely 
difficult to find a replacement.
  Let me share with you just one very quick story from my part of the 
country. For privacy purposes I am not going to use any names. However, 
I am going to talk about a physician from Raynham, MA. He was a 
lieutenant commander in the Navy Reserve and was called up for 
Operation Desert Storm as a flight surgeon in January 1991. For 10 
years he had been a solo practitioner. After only 6 months of service, 
he had to file bankruptcy. That bankruptcy affected not only him but 
his wife, his two employees, and their families. After 1 year on duty, 
he came home and he found he literally had no business, no clients at 
that point in time, and no job--no income as a consequence.
  We do not know for how long reservists will be called away, but 
whenever they return, we ought to make certain, to the degree we can, 
that the negative impacts are as minimal as possible. There is a way to 
do that. The way to do it is through this legislation.
  What we seek to do is to authorize the SBA, the Small Business 
Administration, to defer existing loan repayments and to reduce the 
interest rates on direct loans that may be outstanding to those who are 
called up. That would include disaster loans. The deferrals and 
reductions that are authorized by this bill would be available from the 
date that the individual reservist is called to active duty until 180 
days after his or her release from that duty.
  For microloans and loans guaranteed under the SBA's financial 
assistance programs, such as the 504 program or 7(a) loan programs, the 
bill directs the agency to develop policies that encourage and 
facilitate ways that SBA lenders can either defer or reduce loan 
repayments.
  For example, a microlender's ability to repay its debt to the SBA is 
obviously dependent upon the repayments from its microborrowers. So, 
with this bill's authority, if a microlender extends or defers loan 
repayment to a borrower who is a deployed military reservist, in turn 
the SBA would extend repayment obligations to the microlender.
  Second, the bill establishes a low-interest, economic injury loan 
program to be administered by the SBA through its disaster loan 
program. These loans would be specifically available to provide interim 
operating capital to any small business when the departure of a 
military reservist for active duty causes economic injury. Under the 
bill, such harm includes three general cases: No. 1, inability to make 
loan repayments; No. 2, inability to pay ordinary and necessary 
operating expenses; or, No. 3, inability to market, produce or provide 
a service or product that it ordinarily provides.
  Identical to the loan deferral requirements, an eligible small 
business can

[[Page S4449]]

apply for an economic injury loan from the date that the company's 
military reservist is ordered to active duty, again until 180 days 
after the release from active duty.

  Finally, the bill directs the SBA, and all of its private sector 
partners, such as the small business development centers, the women's 
business centers, to make positive efforts--proactive efforts--to reach 
out to those businesses affected by the call-up of military reservists 
to active duty, and to offer business counseling and training. Those 
left behind to run the businesses, whether it is a spouse or a child or 
an employee, while the military reservist is serving overseas, may be 
inexperienced in running the business and need quick access to 
management and marketing counseling. We think it is important to do 
what we can to help bring those folks together, to keep the doors of 
the business open, and to reduce the impact of a military conflict and 
national emergency on the economy.
  Some people might argue--I have not heard this argument 
sufficiently--but it is not inconceivable that some people would say: 
Wait a minute now, reservists do not deserve this special assistance 
because they ought to know the inherent risks of their chosen role and 
they ought to be prepared for deployment.
  It is true you may live with those possibilities and those 
probabilities. It is also true it is very hard to pick up from the 
moment of notification to the moment of departure in as little as 3 
days, pulling all the pieces together sufficiently. During the Persian 
Gulf war, one reservist's wife, Mrs. Carolee Ploof of Middlebury, VT, 
reported that her family had 3 days to prepare for her husband's 
departure. She said: ``How do you prepare [for that]? I really think 
it's unfair that self-employed people have to lose their shirts to 
protect their country.'' So, from the moment her husband was mobilized, 
he reported for duty until 10 p.m. and then went home to try to teach 
his wife how to run the business--all in 48 hours before he was to 
depart.
  I think we should understand we are talking here about loans and 
extensions on loans. We are not talking about forgiveness, and we are 
not talking about grants. We are talking about a hand up, not a hand-
out. We are talking about trying to facilitate what is obviously a very 
difficult process.
  Finally, let me just say we are the people who designed the policy 
that made it so our military deployments for significant kinds of 
conflicts are, in fact, so Reserve-dependent. We did that for a lot of 
good reasons, not the least of which is that we have a great tradition 
in this country of citizen soldiers--a voluntary civilian component of 
our military service. We also know it is a significant way to reduce 
the costs of a standing army. The costs of carrying a standing army, in 
lieu of having reservists as the important component they are, millions 
of times outweighs the very small, targeted help we are talking about 
in this legislation.
  I thank my 30 other colleagues who are cosponsors of this bill. I 
hope that this legislation will move very rapidly through the Senate so 
reservists will know, and their families will know, that, should there 
be a greater deployment in the future, it will not come with the kind 
of loss, or double hit if you will, for the notion of service to our 
country.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the text of the bill be 
printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                 S. 918

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

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Military Reservists Small 
     Business Relief Act of 1999''.

     SEC. 2. REPAYMENT DEFERRAL FOR ACTIVE DUTY RESERVISTS.

       Section 7 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 636) is 
     amended by adding at the end the following:
       ``(n) Repayment Deferred for Active Duty Reservists.--
       ``(1) Definitions.--In this subsection:
       ``(A) Eligible reservist.--The term `eligible reservist' 
     means a member of a reserve component of the Armed Forces 
     ordered to active duty during a period of military conflict.
       ``(B) Owner, manager, or key employee.--An owner, manager, 
     or key employee described in this subparagraph is an 
     individual who--
       ``(i) has not less than a 20 percent ownership interest in 
     the small business concern described in subparagraph (D)(ii);
       ``(ii) is a manager responsible for the day-to-day 
     operations of such small business concern; or
       ``(iii) is a key employee (as defined by the 
     Administration) of such small business concern.
       ``(C) Period of military conflict.--The term `period of 
     military conflict' means--
       ``(i) a period of war declared by Congress;
       ``(ii) a period of national emergency declared by Congress 
     or by the President; or
       ``(iii) a period of a contingency operation, as defined in 
     section 101(a) of title 10, United States Code.
       ``(D) Qualified borrower.--The term `qualified borrower' 
     means--
       ``(i) an individual who is an eligible reservist and who, 
     received a direct loan under subsection (a) or (b) before 
     being ordered to active duty; or
       ``(ii) a small business concern that received a direct loan 
     under subsection (a) or (b) before an eligible reservist, who 
     is an owner, manager, or key employee described in 
     subparagraph (B), was ordered to active duty.
       ``(2) Deferral of direct loans.--
       ``(A) In general.--The Administration shall, upon written 
     request, defer repayment of principal and interest due on a 
     direct loan made under subsection (a) or (b), if such loan 
     was incurred by a qualified borrower.
       ``(B) Period of deferral.--The period of deferral for 
     repayment under this paragraph shall begin on the date on 
     which the eligible reservist is ordered to active duty and 
     shall terminate on the date that is 180 days after the date 
     such eligible reservist is discharged or released from active 
     duty.
       ``(C) Interest rate reduction during deferral.--
     Notwithstanding any other provision of law, during the period 
     of deferral described in subparagraph (B), the Administration 
     may, in its discretion, reduce the interest rate on any loan 
     qualifying for a deferral under this paragraph.
       ``(3) Deferral of loan guarantees and other financings.--
     The Administration shall--
       ``(A) encourage intermediaries participating in the program 
     under subsection (m) to defer repayment of a loan made with 
     proceeds made available under that subsection, if such loan 
     was incurred by a small business concern that is eligible to 
     apply for assistance under subsection (b)(3); and
       ``(B) not later than 30 days after the date of enactment of 
     this subsection, establish guidelines to--
       ``(i) encourage lenders and other intermediaries to defer 
     repayment of, or provide other relief relating to, loan 
     guarantees under subsection (a) and financings under section 
     504 of the Small Business Investment Act of 1958 that were 
     incurred by small business concerns that are eligible to 
     apply for assistance under subsection (b)(3), and loan 
     guarantees provided under subsection (m) if the intermediary 
     provides relief to a small business concern under this 
     paragraph; and
       ``(ii) implement a program to provide for the deferral of 
     repayment or other relief to any intermediary providing 
     relief to a small business borrower under this paragraph.''.

     SEC. 3. DISASTER LOAN ASSISTANCE FOR MILITARY RESERVISTS' 
                   SMALL BUSINESSES.

       (a) In General.--Section 7(b) of the Small Business Act (15 
     U.S.C. 636(b)) is amended by inserting after the undesignated 
     paragraph that begins with ``Provided, That no loan'', the 
     following:
       ``(3)(A) In this paragraph--
       ``(i) the term `economic injury' means an economic harm to 
     a business concern that results in the inability of the 
     business concern--
       ``(I) to meet its obligations as they mature;
       ``(II) to pay its ordinary and necessary operating 
     expenses; or
       ``(III) to market, produce, or provide a product or service 
     ordinarily marketed, produced, or provided by the business 
     concern;
       ``(ii) the term `owner, manager, or key employee' means an 
     individual who--
       ``(I) has not less than a 20 percent ownership in the small 
     business concern;
       ``(II) is a manager responsible for the day-to-day 
     operations of such small business concern; or
       ``(III) is a key employee (as defined by the 
     Administration) of such small business concern; and
       ``(iii) the term `period of military conflict' has the 
     meaning given the term in subsection (n)(1).
       ``(B) The Administration may make such disaster loans 
     (either directly or in cooperation with banks or other 
     lending institutions through agreements to participate on an 
     immediate or deferred basis) to assist a small business 
     concern (including a small business concern engaged in the 
     lease or rental of real or personal property) that has 
     suffered or that is likely to suffer economic injury as the 
     result of the owner, manager, or key employee of such small 
     business concern being ordered to active military duty during 
     a period of military conflict.
       ``(C) A small business concern described in subparagraph 
     (B) shall be eligible to apply for assistance under this 
     paragraph during the period beginning on the date on which 
     the owner, manager, or key employee is ordered to active duty 
     and ending on the date that is 180 days after the date on 
     which such

[[Page S4450]]

     owner, manager, or key employee is discharged or released 
     from active duty.
       ``(D) Any loan or guarantee extended pursuant to this 
     paragraph shall be made at an annual interest rate of 4 
     percent, without regard to the ability of the small business 
     concern to secure credit elsewhere.
       ``(E) No loan may be made under this paragraph, either 
     directly or in cooperation with banks or other lending 
     institutions through agreements to participate on an 
     immediate or deferred basis, if the total amount outstanding 
     and committed to the borrower under this subsection would 
     exceed $1,500,000, unless such applicant constitutes a major 
     source of employment in its surrounding area, as determined 
     by the Administration, in which case the Administration, in 
     its discretion, may waive the $1,500,000 limitation.
       ``(F) For purposes of assistance under this paragraph, no 
     declaration of a disaster area shall be required.''.
       (b) Conforming Amendments.--Section 4(c) of the Small 
     Business Act (15 U.S.C. 633(c)) is amended--
       (1) in paragraph (1), by striking ``7(b)(4),''; and
       (2) in paragraph (2), by striking ``7(b)(4), 7(b)(5), 
     7(b)(6), 7(b)(7), 7(b)(8),''.

     SEC. 4. BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT AND MANAGEMENT ASSISTANCE FOR 
                   MILITARY RESERVISTS' SMALL BUSINESSES.

       (a) In General.--Section 8 of the Small Business Act (15 
     U.S.C. 637) is amended by adding at the end the following:
       ``(l) Management Assistance for Small Businesses Affected 
     by Military Operations.--The Administration shall utilize, as 
     appropriate, its entrepreneurial development and management 
     assistance programs, including programs involving State or 
     private sector partners, to provide business counseling and 
     training to any small business concern adversely affected by 
     the deployment of units of the Armed Forces of the United 
     States in support of a period of military conflict (as 
     defined in section 7(n)(1)).
       (b) Enhanced Publicity During Operation Allied Force.--For 
     the duration of Operation Allied Force and for 120 days 
     thereafter, the Administration shall enhance its publicity of 
     the availability of assistance provided pursuant to the 
     amendments made by this Act, including information regarding 
     the appropriate local office at which affected small 
     businesses may seek such assistance.

     SEC. 5. GUIDELINES.

       Not later than 30 days after the date of enactment of this 
     Act, the Administrator of the Small Business Administration 
     shall issue such guidelines as the Administrator determines 
     to be necessary to carry out this Act and the amendments made 
     by this Act.

     SEC. 6. EFFECTIVE DATES.

       (a) In General.--Except as provided in subsection (b), the 
     amendments made by this Act shall take effect on the date of 
     the enactment of this Act.
       (b) Disaster Loans.--The amendments made by section 3 shall 
     apply to economic injury suffered or likely to be suffered as 
     the result of a period of military conflict occurring on or 
     after March 24, 1999.

  Mr. KOHL. Mr. President, more than 2,000 reservists were called up 
Tuesday to participate in NATO Operation Allied Force. These men and 
women who may serve for as long as nine months are making a great 
sacrifice, as are their family members and co-workers who are left 
behind.
  It is incumbent upon us to find ways to ease the burden of this 
service for our reservists, their families and their employers. Two 
weeks ago the Senate passed tax relief for those serving in Operation 
Allied Force. The legislation we are introducing today addresses the 
economic impact of taking reservists away from small businesses, 
whether the reservist is the owner, a manager or a key employee.
  The Military Reservists Small Business Relief Act allows small 
businessmen and women to defer loan payments on any direct loan from 
the Small Business Administration (SBA), including disaster loans. The 
bill directs SBA to come up with a policy for payment deferrals for the 
microloan program and loans guaranteed under one of SBA's financial 
assistance programs. Deferrals on loan payments would extend 180 days 
after the reservist's release from active duty.
  The bill also establishes a low interest economic injury loan program 
to provide interim operating capital to any small business experiencing 
economic harm because a military reservist has been called to active 
duty. The bill defines economic harm as being unable to provide goods 
or services that the business usually provides. SBA will administer the 
loan program through its disaster loan program.
  Recognizing the disruptions that may occur as a result of the recent 
call up, the Military Reservists Small Business Relief Act directs SBA 
and its private sector partners to mobilize their resources to offer 
business counseling and training to inexperienced employees or family 
members who are left behind to run businesses on their own when a 
reservist is called up.
  This legislation is modeled on similar legislation adopted during 
Operation Desert Storm. It is a practical response to the real and 
often overlooked impact of calling up military reservists. Wisconsin 
has some marvelous employers who are tremendously supportive of their 
employees who serve in the reserves. Several years ago, Schneider Truck 
of Green Bay, WI, was recognized as the Reserves Employer of the year 
by the Defense Department. Companies like Schneider do all they can to 
make it easier for reservists and their families to manage while the 
service member is on active duty. It is my hope that this legislation 
will help smaller companies and encourage them to provide reservists 
and their families with this kind of support.
  The men and women of the reserves are far more than ``weekend 
warriors,'' they are the backbone of our military. We are grateful for 
their willingness to serve. We thank the men and women of the reserves, 
their families, and their employers for their sacrifices and this 
service.
  Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, the President has approved the call-up of 
up to 33,000 Reservists to support NATO operations over Kosovo. Reserve 
forces are playing an ever-increasing role in military operations. With 
the downsizing of our Active forces and the increased number of 
missions, our Armed Forces cannot operate successfully without use of 
our Reserve component resources. For example, of the 540,000 service 
members deployed to Saudi Arabia for Desert Shield/Desert Storm, 
228,000, or 42%, were reservists. Reservists have also answered the 
call for service in Operation RESTORE HOPE in Somalia, Operation UPHOLD 
DEMOCRACY in Haiti, and Operation JOINT ENDEAVOR/JOINT GUARD in Bosnia.
  National Guard and Reserve forces are involved in helping Central 
America recover from the devastation of Hurricane Mitch, and they are 
routinely called upon to respond to disasters in the United States. As 
the Reserve components are relied on more and more, even during nornal 
times they are called away from their civilian jobs more and more.
  The absence of these men and women from their families, jobs and 
businesses while they are serving their country on active duty will 
clearly present some hardships. We should do everything we can do to 
try minimize any economic hardships that might arise from their absence 
on their businesses and places of employment. That is why I have 
cosponsored the Military Reservists Small Business Relief Act that Mr. 
Kerry has introduced today to provide financial and business 
development assistance to military reservists' small businesses.
  This legislation will help military reservists who are called away 
from their jobs and businesses to serve the United States in any 
military operation with respect to Kosovo by allowing them to defer 
existing government guaranteed small business loans and giving them 
access to low interest rate government guaranteed loans to bridge any 
financial gap that might arise out of their absence. These Reservists 
will be eligible for assistance if they are an owner, manager or key 
employee of a small business.
  This legislation provides more generous loan repayment terms for 
small business reservists who have SBA loans. It does this by 
authorizing a deferral of loan repayments for small business reservists 
on any direct loan from the Small Business Administration (SBA), 
including disaster loans. Interest will not accrue during the time that 
the loan is deferred. The legislation also directs SBA to develop 
policies such as extending repayments of its government guaranteed 
loans such as micro loans or 7(a) loans for reservists who are called 
up for active duty. The deferrals will be available from the date the 
reservist is called to active duty until 180 days after his or her 
release from active duty.
  The legislation also establishes a low interest economic injury loan 
program to be administered by SBA through its disaster loan program. 
Such loans would be made available to provide interim operating capital 
to any small business when the departure of a military reservist to 
active duty causes economic harm.

[[Page S4451]]

  The legislation also directs the SBA and its private sector partners 
to make every effort to reach out to those businesses affected by the 
absence of key employees who are Reservists and provide assistance such 
as businesses counseling and training for how to run the business in 
the absence of these key employees.
  I am pleased to be a cosponsor of this important legislation designed 
to reduce any economic hardship created by the absence of active duty 
reservists from their jobs and businesses and I hope the Senate will 
act on it quickly.
  Mr. JEFFORDS. Mr. President, it is widely known that our nation can 
no longer commit military force to conflicts, national emergencies and 
contingency operations without the participation of our National Guard 
and Reserves. This is expressly provided in our national military 
strategy. It is confirmed by the 300% increase in the pace of 
operations for our National Guard alone since Operation Desert Storm.
  While I enthusiastically support the full integration of our reserve 
components into a seamless Total Force, I recognize its potential to 
seriously affect our nation's small businesses. In most communities 
across this nation small businesses sustain the local economy, yet many 
of these businesses rely upon key employees, owners or managers who are 
also Guard members or Reservists subject to being called away to active 
duty. On Tuesday, the President approved the call-up of 33,102 members 
of the Selected Reserve to active duty in support of NATO operations in 
Yugoslavia. We cannot ignore the impact of this on our small 
businesses. The challenge is upon us. That is why I am happy to join 
Senator Kerry in introducing the Military Reservists Small Business 
Relief Act.
  For eligible reservists called to active duty in support of a 
declared war, national emergency or contingency operation, the bill 
provides in part:
  1. An authorization to defer loan repayments on any direct loan from 
the Small Business Administration (SBA), including disaster loans, to 
borrowers who are members of the Guard and Reserves called to active 
duty.
  2. A low interest economic injury loan program, administered by SBA, 
which would provide interim operating capital to any small business 
likely to suffer economic harm caused by the departure of an employee, 
who is a member of the Guard or Reserves called to active duty.
  3. Direction to the SBA and all of its private sector partners, such 
as the Small Business Development Centers, to offer business training 
and counseling to small business affected by a loss of an employee who 
is a member of the Guard or Reserves called to active duty.
  Given that our Guard and Reserve are shouldering an increasing share 
of our worldwide missions, we cannot overlook the effects of these 
operations on our civilian workforce and their civilian employers. This 
legislation ensures that we keep their interests in mind during periods 
of military conflict.
                                 ______