[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 81 (Wednesday, June 4, 2003)]
[House]
[Page H4880]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           RESERVIST PAY GAP

  (Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California asked and was given permission to 
address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay 
tribute to our Nation's National Guard and Reserve. These brave 
Americans voluntarily leave behind families and their civilian duties 
to serve in our Nation's military for the sake of protecting our 
Nation. And how do we repay them? By requiring long terms of duty and 
often paying them less salary than they would earn by staying at home.
  Today, the House will consider House Resolution 201, paying tribute 
to private companies who have been willing to support these troops in 
part by filling in this pay gap for some of our reservists. However, 
just last month, when my colleagues and I tried to introduce amendments 
to the Defense authorization bill that would have ended all pay gaps 
for reservists, they were not only defeated by my Republican 
counterparts, but they were not even allowed to be debated on this 
House floor.
  It is time that Congress does more for the reservists than just pay 
accolades to private industry. To truly give tribute to our national 
reservists we must pass legislation so that all of these individuals 
who risk their lives for our country will not risk financial disaster.

                          ____________________