[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 53 (Wednesday, April 2, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4676-S4677]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS ACT TO SUPPORT DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE 
           OPERATIONS IN IRAQ FOR FISCAL YEAR 2003--Continued

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Alaska.
  Mr. STEVENS. Madam President, is the pending business the Durbin 
amendment to the Stevens amendment?
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator is correct, that is the pending 
question.
  Mr. STEVENS. Madam President, I am pleased to yield to the Senator 
from Illinois. I believe we have reached an agreement on this 
amendment, and I would be glad to have him modify his amendment if he 
wishes to do so.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Illinois.


           Amendment No. 437 to Amendment No. 436, Withdrawn

  Mr. DURBIN. Madam President, I withdraw my amendment.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator has that right.
  Mr. DURBIN. I ask unanimous consent to withdraw my second-degree 
amendment.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The 
amendment is withdrawn.


                     Amendment No. 436, As Modified

  Mr. DURBIN. Madam President, I thank the Senator from Alaska. I 
particularly thank the Senator from Virginia, Mr. Warner, who has acted 
as good counsel to both the Senator from Alaska and the Senator from 
Illinois.
  Let me tell my colleagues what this amendment does because I think 
the Senate can be proud of the outcome. What we are going to do is to 
increase combat pay for the men and women in uniform by 50 percent from 
$150 a month to $225 a month, and we are going to increase the family 
separation allowance by 150 percent from $100 month to $250 a month. 
Our action in this fiscal year will be retroactive to October 1. So it 
covers the entire fiscal year. It is going to mean a helping hand 
through a difficult time for the men and women in uniform, and their 
families.
  As I have said, and I am sure the Senator from Alaska will agree, 
there is no amount of money that we can give these men and women, nor 
their families, to compensate them for what they are giving to our 
country, but this effort on the Senate floor, in a bipartisan fashion, 
shows we are dedicated to work together to express our gratitude not 
just in speeches but by giving a helping hand to these families who are 
struggling.
  I send a modification of the amendment to the desk on behalf of 
myself, Senators Stevens, Inouye, Warner, Chambliss, Mikulski, Dole, 
Daschle, Landrieu, Clinton, and Pryor.
  Mr. STEVENS. Madam President, I now ask that this be deemed the 
original amendment before the Senate, that it be the Stevens-Durbin 
amendment, plus any other Senators who wish to add their name to it.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The 
amendment is so modified.
  Mr. STEVENS. I ask that the Senate cast a unanimous vote in support 
of this raise of combat pay and family allowances for our men and women 
who are in harm's way.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there further debate on the amendment?
  If not, the question is on agreeing to amendment No. 436, as 
modified.
  The amendment (No. 436), as modified, was agreed to, as follows:

       In the amendment strike are after the first word and insert 
     the following:
       (a) Increase in Imminent Danger Special Pay.--Section 
     310(a) of title 37, United States Code is amended by striking 
     ``S150'' and inserting ``S225''.
       (b) Increase in Family Separation Allowance.--Section 
     427(a)(1) of title 37, United States code, is amended by 
     striking ``S100'' and inserting ``S250''.
       (c) Expiration.--(1) The amendments made by subsections (a) 
     and (b) shall expire on September 30, 2003.
       (2) Effective on September 30, 2003, sections 310(a) of 
     title 37, United States Code, and 427(a)(1) of title 37, 
     United States Code, as in effect on the day before the date 
     of the enactment of this Act are hereby revived.
       (d) Effective Date.--The amendments made by subsections (a) 
     and (b) shall take effect on Oct. 1, 2002 and shall apply 
     with respect to months beginning on or after that date.

  Mr. DURBIN. Madam President, I move to reconsider the vote.
  Mr. REID. I move to lay that motion on the table.
  The motion to lay on the table was agreed to.
  Mr. STEVENS. Madam President, I would like to make sure we show this 
was a unanimous vote. Beyond that, I have a letter I received from the 
Boeing Company which is relevant to what we have just done, because 
some of the people who are covered by this amendment are men and women 
of the National Guard and Reserve. The Boeing Company has notified me 
it has 2,000 valued employees who serve our Nation in the military as 
members of the National Guard and Reserve. They state:

       Over the last 3 years, some 950 men and women have proudly 
     stepped forward for differing periods of military duty in 
     support of the September 11-related operation. To date,

[[Page S4677]]

     371 Boeing teammates have been activated for Operation Iraqi 
     Freedom, with many more receiving notice of impending call-
     up. To stress our commitment, Boeing has extended the 
     benefits we provide these citizen soldiers because we want 
     them to be able to focus on their military mission--with no 
     worry that their families are provided for in the interim. 
     For a period of up to 60 calendar months, we will make up the 
     difference between their military and Boeing pay, plus 
     maintain their medical, dental and life insurance benefits. 
     We have also extended reemployment rights to these talented 
     teammates for up to five years of military service. Boeing's 
     long-standing policy provides these benefits for 90 days.

  I am not doing this to blow up Boeing, although I think it is a 
tremendous gesture. I ask unanimous consent that the letter, in full, 
be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

                                           The Boeing Company,

                                                    Arlington, VA.
     Hon. Ted Stevens,
     U.S. Senate,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Senator Stevens: The Boeing Company is honored to have 
     more than 2,000 valued employees who also serve our Nation in 
     the military as members of the National Guard and Reserve. 
     Over the last three years, some 950 Boeing men and women have 
     proudly stepped forward for differing periods of military 
     duty in support of September 11th-related operations. And to 
     date, 371 Boeing teammates have been activated for Operation 
     Iraqi Freedom--with many more receiving notice of impending 
     call-up.
       To stress our commitment, Boeing has extended the benefits 
     we provide these citizen soldiers because we want them to be 
     able to focus on their military mission--with no worry that 
     their families are provided for in the interim. For a period 
     of up to 60 calendar months, we will make up the difference 
     between their military and Boeing pay, plus maintain their 
     medical, dental and life insurance benefits. We have also 
     extended reemployment rights to these talented teammates for 
     up to five years of military service. Boeing's long-standing 
     policy provides these benefits for 90 days, with reviews for 
     adjustments depending upon circumstances.
       The Boeing Guard and Reserve Network was created to help 
     focus support to these men and women. With membership from 
     employees and senior staff, this network was instrumental in 
     President Bush naming Boeing a winner of the prestigious 
     Employer Support Freedom Award in 2001 for continued support 
     to National Guard and Reserve employees.
       Boeing is proud of this leadership role and firmly 
     committed to all our talented men and women called to serve 
     the Nation.
           Sincerely,

                                              Rudy F. de Leon,

                                            Senior Vice President,
                                        Washington, DC Operations.

  Mr. STEVENS. This shows much of the problem that the Senator from 
Illinois has been trying to handle, the problem of people who have been 
called up who are not regulars. Theirs is a problem that is more acute 
than those who are in the military and are called up and they have 
their full military pay continue. The civilian pay of those who have 
been called up is many times quite a bit in excess of what they get in 
the military.
  We have very complicated problems in a period of the callup cycle we 
are in right now because our country has called up people for the war 
on terrorism, called up people for the war in Afghanistan, and are now 
calling up people for the war in Iraq. Sometimes there have been 
multiple callups in the same calendar year. It is a very difficult 
problem to deal with, and I urge the Armed Services Committee to work 
on it and give us a comprehensive package so we do not have to deal 
with it in regard to appropriations bills.
  That is my point I make now. I prefer that not be the case.
  Mr. REID. I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. STEVENS. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

                          ____________________