[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 39 (Tuesday, March 11, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Page S3517]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. DURBIN (for himself, Ms. Mikulski, Mr. Leahy, Mr. 
        Sarbanes, Mr. Bingaman, Mr. Lautenberg, and Ms. Landrieu):
  S. 593. A bill to ensure that a Federal employee who takes leave 
without pay in order to perform service as a member of the uniformed 
services or member of the National Guard shall continue to receive pay 
in an amount which, when taken together with the pay and allowances 
such individual is receiving for such service, will be no less than the 
basic pay such individual would then be receiving if no interruption in 
employment has occurred; to the Committee on Governmental Affairs.
  Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, today, with war looming with Iraq and 
hundreds of thousands of our troops poised for battle overseas, I would 
like to discuss the financial burden faced by many of the men and women 
who serve in the military Reserves or National Guard and who are forced 
to take unpaid leave from their jobs when called to active duty. 
Currently, there are nearly 170,000 Guard and Reservists mobilized and 
serving on active duty in our armed forces. While these individuals 
receive pay for the time they are on active duty, the salary gap 
between military duty and civilian work can be considerable. It is 
unfair to ask the men and women who have volunteered to serve their 
country, often in dangerous situations, to also face a financial strain 
on their families.
  A number of employers have wisely acted to remedy this hardship by 
establishing financial compensation plans for their employees in the 
Reserves and National Guard. Many companies and State and local 
governments, including Ford, IBM, the State of California, Los Angeles 
County, and Austin, TX, recognize this burden and voluntarily pay the 
difference between the active duty military salary and civilian salary 
for these reservists. In my State of Illinois, Boeing Aerospace, State 
Farm Insurance, Sears, Roebuck & Company, the State of Illinois, the 
City of Chicago, and many other Illinois companies, local governments, 
and institutions cover the pay differential for Reserve and National 
Guard members called to active duty.
  We should take similar action in Washington and set an example for 
employers throughout the country. Today, I am introducing with my 
colleague from Maryland, Senator Barbara Mikulski, the Reservist Pay 
Security Act of 2003, legislation that will help alleviate the 
financial problems faced by many Federal employees who serve in the 
Reserves and must take time off from their jobs when our Nation calls. 
This bill would allow these citizen-soldiers to maintain their normal 
salary when called to active service by requiring Federal agencies to 
make up the difference between their military pay and what they would 
have earned on their Federal job.
  As the symbol of American values and ideals, the Federal Government 
should give these special employees of our government more than just 
words of support. We should not encourage Americans to protect their 
country and then punish those who enlist in the armed forces by taking 
away a large portion of their salaries. We must provide our reservist 
employees with financial support so they can leave their civilian lives 
to serve our country without the added burden of worrying about the 
financial well-being of their families. They are doing so much for us; 
we should do no less for them.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in cosponsoring this important 
legislation.
  Ms. MIKULSKI. Mr. President, yesterday I spoke on the floor about 
supporting our armed forces. Support for our troops is particularly 
important today as our soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines are 
deployed for possible war with Iraq. We must express our support not 
only with words, but with deeds. We owe that to our armed forces.
  Our brave men and women of the National Guard and Reserves are 
experiencing hardships as a result of recent mobilizations. I believe 
we should do everything we can to reduce unnecessary financial burdens 
on members of the military, especially when they are putting themselves 
in harm's way to protect our great Nation.
  We must stand up for our military; we must also stand up for their 
families. Our troops will face grave danger. They should not have to 
face fear for their families, and particularly they should not have to 
worry about their families' finances.
  Though America is on the brink of war, American military families 
must never be on the brink of bankruptcy. That is why we, in the 
Senate, must take immediate steps to support military families.
  Today, I am proud to cosponsor the Reservists Pay Security Act with 
my colleague Senator Dick Durbin. Senator Durbin introduced a similar 
bill in the House, and I introduced it in the Senate during Desert 
Storm in 1991. It was the right thing to do then, and it is the right 
thing to do now. I'm proud to work together again on this worthy cause.
  The Reservists Pay Security Act of 2003 would ensure that Federal 
employees who take leave to serve in our military reserves receive the 
same pay as if no interruption in their employment occurred. Why start 
with Federal employees? Well, many large companies and local 
governments continue to pay the full salary of their employees when 
they are activated. I applaud those excellent corporate citizens and 
those local governments. Some of the largest employers in my own State 
are also meeting that responsibility. The Federal Government should be 
a model employer and set the example for large businesses. This should 
be a first step.
  I believe we should move quickly to pass this bill because many 
members of the Guard and Reserves do work for the Federal Government in 
highly specialized areas. But the Federal Government needs to do more 
than that. We need to take a look at those who work for small business 
and those who are self-employed. A call for duty will be responded to, 
but a call for duty time and time again in a single-year period places 
the responsibility on the family. American families should never 
subsidize our war effort. We should be looking out for those families.
  We owe reservists our support and a debt of gratitude. This bill is a 
step toward achieving that. I urge my colleagues to join us and enact 
this important legislation for the men and women of our National Guard 
and Reserves.
                                 ______