[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 55 (Tuesday, April 27, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E653-E654]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         GUARDSMAN AND RESERVISTS FINANCIAL RELIEF ACT OF 2003

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. RAUL M. GRIJALVA

                               of arizona

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, April 27, 2004

  Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, the passage of H.R. 1779 is a welcome 
first step in addressing the serious problems facing our National Guard 
and Reserve today. But as we once again mobilize more troops and send 
them off to fight, and possibly die, in an increasingly hostile 
environment, we must ask ourselves why legislation such as H.R. 1779 
has become a necessary stopgap measure.
  The very fact that Guard and Reserve members feel compelled to 
withdraw funds from their IRA's in order to pay the bills at home is 
unacceptable.
  Yet, this is precisely the problem: Current compensation and benefits 
programs for the National Guard and Reserve were developed more than 50 
years ago, when it was expected that they would be mobilized only in 
the most dire national emergency. Over the past dozen years, the Guard 
and Reserve contract has changed dramatically, with more than 40 
percent of members being called to duty and in some cases, being 
repeatedly deployed without fulfilling the requisite off-duty time 
period. H.R. 1799 is a band-aid measure temporarily mending a broken 
system. Congress must and can upgrade Guard and Reserve compensation 
and benefits to better offset the demands and sacrifices imposed on the 
Guard and Reserve community.
  It is a great injustice that those who selflessly and voluntarily 
serve our country are not repaid in kind. By this I mean that Guard and 
Reserve members are ineligible for military health coverage, except 
while on active duty or after age 60. Although covered by TRICARE when 
mobilized, many Guard and Reservists and their families are faced with 
changing doctors and dropping private coverage. We must provide 
adequate and comprehensive health care coverage for the Guard and 
Reserve community. It is my hope that this year's Defense Authorization 
Act will include permanent authority for a fee-based TRICARE coverage 
for all drilling Guard and Reserve members, and offer all such members 
the option to have the government pay part or all of their employer 
coverage premium during extended activations.
  Loan forgiveness and increased education infrastructure funding for 
Guard and Reservists and their families should also be a top priority 
during this year's budget deliberations. Earlier this year, I received 
a letter from one of my constituents and his wife who are both Guard 
Members. Both were more than willing to serve their first tour of duty 
in Iraq, knowing full well that this would delay by a semester their 
graduate course studies. Six months later, both were facing yet another 
extension of active duty. Along with delaying their studies and future 
career path, they are now also incurring interest on a loan which is 
not being utilized. Congress must improve educational opportunities and 
benefits for Guard and Reservists by providing deferments and interest 
payments for borrowers of student loans who are called to active duty.
  Health care, timely compensation, and education funding are only a 
few of the many

[[Page E654]]

things we should and CAN provide to our Guard and Reserve members. 
Extending the military pay raise, providing meaningful tax relief for 
military families, and improving overall quality of life entitlement 
programs is the very least we can do for the families and 
servicemembers who have endured extraordinary--and in some cases--
supreme sacrifices for our country.

  The mistreatment of our Guard and Reservists and its repercussions on 
them and their families' morale and well-being must stop. Is it too 
much to ask that our government provide basic necessary services such 
as comprehensive health coverage and timely compensation to our Guard 
and Reserve members?
  I urge my colleagues to include funding for these measures in this 
year's Defense Authorization Act and to push for passage of the many 
proposals addressing these issues which are currently stalled in 
Committee.

                          ____________________