[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 22 (Thursday, February 26, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E256-E257]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  INTRODUCTION OF THE ``EXTENDED DEPLOYMENT PAY INCREASE ACT OF 2004''

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. ROBERT C. SCOTT

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, February 26, 2004

  Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I rise to introduce the 
``Extended Deployment Pay Increase Act of 2004.'' I believe this 
legislation provides critical financial support to our men and women in 
uniform.
  All of us are familiar with the change in policy that is requiring 
tens of thousands of National Guard, Reservists, and active duty troops 
in Iraq and surrounding countries to extend their active duty to 12 
months.
  These longer deployments cause additional financial and emotional 
stresses on our military, and their families. For example, it has been 
reported that more than one-third of the Reservists and National Guard 
members suffer cuts in pay when called to active duty. So while it may 
be reasonable to expect members of the National Guard and Reserves to 
forgo peacetime salaries for six months to serve on active duty 
thousands of miles away from home, or to expect private employers to 
continue to pay part of their salaries for a few months, these stopgap 
measures are limited. The financial strain is especially acute for 
those who are self-employed--especially those who are called up on 
short notice and those who have made business arrangements

[[Page E257]]

for a six month absence, only to be notified later that their 
deployment will be extended for a full year.
  There are similar stresses on career military personnel that are 
required to serve extended deployments of 12 months on active duty. 
While 6 months may be more manageable for a family to make temporary 
arrangements regarding covering day care and usual family 
responsibilities, deployments of 12 months require a more permanent 
solution. At a minimum, the normal family life is disrupted. Parents 
are forced to be away from their children for prolonged periods of 
time, and the parent that is left behind must fill the role of both 
parents. As a result, additional social services, or additional day 
care services, are often needed--at additional financial expense.
  This bill would increase individual pay by $1000 per month for active 
duty military, Reservists, and National Guard members who are deployed 
away from home for more than 6 months. The increase would apply to each 
month of active duty in excess of 6 months.
  Many of these individuals and their families will be suffering 
hardship well in excess of $1000 per month. The least we can do is 
attempt to offset the financial hardship imposed on these families. If 
one third of 150,000 troops in Iraq are eligible for extended 
deployment pay in any month; the cost would be $50 million a month or 
$600 million per year. This amounts to less than one-half of one 
percent of the total cost of the war to date.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this effort to aid the 
military men and women who are honorably serving our country.

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