[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 57 (Wednesday, May 8, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E743]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




30TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE NATIONAL COMMITTEE FOR EMPLOYER SUPPORT OF THE 
                           GUARD AND RESERVE

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JOHN COOKSEY

                              of louisiana

                    in the house of representatives

                         Wednesday, May 8, 2002

  Mr. COOKSEY. Mr. Speaker, today I wish to congratulate the National 
Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR)--its 
4,200 volunteers and Department of Defense (DOD) staff--in celebrating 
30 years of service to this Nation.
  The National Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve 
(ESGR) was established in 1972, the year the United States ended the 
Selective Service System and established an all-volunteer military 
force. DOD realized that support from employers and communities would 
be instrumental in maintaining Reserve component membership. ESGR was 
created to obtain employer and community support for the National Guard 
and Reserve and to promote the role of Reserve forces in the national 
defense.
  ESGR has lived up to the task and accomplished much more. Since 1972, 
with the help of the Advertising Council, Inc., ESGR has benefited from 
nearly $1 billion in pro bono advertising reaching the six million 
employers with one or more employees in the United States.
  Employers have, in turn, signed ESGR Statements of Support, publicly 
committing to support the National Guard and Reserve. The former 
Chairman of the Board and CEO of General Motors, Mr. James H. Roche 
signed the first Statement of Support in the Office of the Secretary of 
Defense on December 13, 1972. The next day, President Richard Nixon 
signed a Statement of Support covering all Federal civilian employees. 
Since the inception of this program, Presidents Ford, Carter, Reagan, 
Bush, Clinton and President George W. Bush have all signed Statements 
of Support, along with hundreds of thousands of employers, including 
Dell Computer Corporation, Xerox, the Society for Human Resource 
Management and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. To date, over 300,000 
employers have signed statements of support. Additionally, the 
strategic alliance formed in 1998 between ESGR and the U.S. Chamber of 
Commerce resulted in more than 1,200 chambers of commerce nationwide 
signing a Statement of Support for the Guard and Reserve.
  ESGR offers Ombudsman services designed to provide information to 
employers and Reservists regarding their rights and responsibilities 
under the law, and to resolve conflicts through informal mediation. 
These services operate in cooperation with the Department of Labor. 
ESGR volunteers in 54 U.S. states and territories contribute thousands 
of hours of effort representing millions of dollars of volunteer 
service in support of ESGR programs, its services, and the men and 
women of our nation's Reserve forces.
  Mr. Speaker, the National Committee for Employer Support of the Guard 
and Reserve is smart government in action. The small ESGR staff in 
Arlington, VA, under the direction of the Assistant Secretary of 
Defense for Reserve Affairs provides guidance and support to a network 
of 4,200 volunteer business, civic, and community leaders.
  ESGR educates employers on their rights and obligations under the law 
and recognize employers who actively support employee participation in 
the Guard and Reserve. ESGR also educates members of the National Guard 
and Reserve in regards to their rights and responsibilities to the 
value of their employers support. Committees can be found in all 50 
states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and 
Guam.
  With the end of the cold war, the Reserve components have been called 
with increasing frequency. During the Gulf War in 1990-1991, more than 
250,000 Reserve component members were called to active duty to support 
military operations in the Persian Gulf. Since the start of Operation 
Noble Eagle and Enduring Freedom, more than 80,000 National Guard and 
Reserve troops have been activated and are playing a critical role.
  Mr. Speaker, thousands of employers, local and state government 
officials, Active and Reserve component leaders, and military members 
from across the nation and around the world request ESGR's employer 
support expertise on a daily basis. When Guardsmen and Reservists 
return home following mobilization, ESGR committee members are there to 
provide information and support services to those in need.
  The U.S. Congress passed the Uniformed Services Employment and 
Reemployment Rights Act, (USERRA) of 1994, and updated it in 1996. This 
law completely revised the Veterans Reemployment Rights Act of 1940. 
USERRA articulates the rights and responsibilities of Guard and Reserve 
members with regard to job protection and explains employer rights 
under federal law. ESGR helps employers and Reservists understand this 
law and helps them informally resolve any employment conflicts that may 
arise.
  Mr. Speaker, again, I want to congratulate ESGR and its 54 ESGR 
committees on their 30 years of service and commend this network of 
over 4,200 volunteers' patriots for their time and talent. They are 
serving their country and maintaining the much needed support of our 
employers and communities for the Guard and Reserve. Through the 
efforts of agencies like ESGR, we can call on our Reserve forces to 
answer our nation's call without the fear of job loss.
  Thank you Mr. Speaker, and thank you ESGR.

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