[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 54 (Thursday, April 28, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4556-S4558]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. LEAHY (for himself and Mr. Bond):
  S. 938. A bill to amend title 37, United States Code, to require that 
members of the National Guard and Reserve called or ordered to active 
duty for a period of more than 30 days to receive a basic allowance for 
housing at the same rate as similarly situated members of the regular 
components of the uniformed services; to the Committee on Armed 
Services.
  Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, it is now fairly common on the Senate Floor 
to hear the statement that we cannot adequately defend our Nation today 
without our military reserves. Everybody knows that the activation of 
members of the National Guard and Reserve since September 11, 2001, 
represents the largest mobilization of our back-up military personnel 
since World War II. Everyone knows too that members of the National 
Guard and Reserve comprise over 50 percent of the forces on the ground 
in Iraq. And, yes, we all know that we are asking the reserves, 
particularly the National Guard, to help increase security within the 
domestic United States, whether at prominent events or along our porous 
national borders.
  It is critical that we go beyond mere statements and take concrete 
steps to preserve the readiness, morale, and general effectiveness of 
this force. This imperative extends particularly to redressing harmful 
policies that give the impression to our reservists that they are not 
an equally important part of the wider military and the defense of the 
Nation.
  Today Senator Bond and I are introducing legislation that will end 
one of the most glaring of these inequities. Our legislation, The 
National Guard and Reserves Housing Equity Act of 2005, effectively 
terminates a patently unfair low housing allowance provided to 
reservists when they are called up for a relatively short-term of 
active service.
  This so-called lower allowance level, known officially as the Basic 
Allowance for Housing II, or B.A.H. II, puts on average almost $400 
less per month--per month--in the pockets of our reservists than what 
they would receive if they were regular, active duty members. To any 
reservist who leaves his or her community, profession, and family for 
active service, receiving B.A.H. II says that he or she is a second-
class member of the military. You might do the same job as a full-time 
member of the military and live in the same type of housing, but you do 
not deserve the same allowance. The allowance creates an unacceptable 
financial hardship that will decrease the willingness of any reasonable 
person to continue service.
  This is a very real problem. Last year, Congress and the President 
enacted a piece of legislation--which I

[[Page S4557]]

sponsored along with my fellow Guard Caucus Co-Chair Senator Kit Bond--
that authorized greater use of the National Guard for national homeland 
security missions. Using this new authority, members of the National 
Guard from my home State of Vermont were called to active duty late 
last year to help increase security along the Northern Border. Those 
members of the Guard worked side-by-side with their active duty 
counterparts. Yet the Guard personnel received over $300 less per month 
in housing allowances.
  I cannot tell you how many soldiers and airmen who participated in 
that mission came up to me and made clear how slighted and insulted 
they felt by that housing allowance. Those comments mirror what I heard 
from other members of the Guard who received B.A.H. II on a similar 
mission. This second-tier housing allowance really burns in the saddle 
of every citizen-soldier, sailor, airman, and marine, and it is having 
a real effect on morale.
  We simply cannot tolerate this inequity to continue, and it is within 
our power to do something about this. So we have a choice today: Either 
we can keep this second-tier housing allowance in place and send a 
signal that we need to save some dollars on the backs of those who have 
stepped forward to serve, or we can remedy this inequity, making the 
firm statement that we will take the real steps necessary to support 
our reservists and provide them the resources so that they can do their 
jobs and be treated fairly while they serve.
  The National Guard and Reserves Housing Equity Act of 2005 
specifically provides that any member of the reserves called up for 
more than 30 days will receive the exact same housing allowance as a 
regular active duty service-member. The legislation gives the Office of 
Secretary of Defense some discretion to set the allowance under the 30 
days, but it should be done on a pro-rated basis on the higher regular 
allowance. The effect of this legislation will be to end the category 
of Basic Allowance of Housing II.
  This legislation has been endorsed unanimously by the 35-military 
association umbrella group, The Military Coalition. So that all 
senators may read the specific views of the military associations, I 
ask that letters from the National Guard Association of the United 
States, the Enlisted Association of the National Guard of the United 
States, the Reserve Officers Associations, the Reserve Enlisted 
Association, the Association of the United States Army, and the Fleet 
Reserve Association be printed in the Record. The Military Officer's 
Association of America and the Air Force Sergeant's Association have 
also directly endorsed this legislation.
  We often hear statements about supporting our troops, but this is a 
chance to actually support them. This is an issue that literally 
affects our troops where they live. I invite our colleagues to join 
Senator Bond and me in co-sponsoring this legislation and in working to 
end this grossly unfair system. With the National Guard and Reserves 
Housing Equity Act of 2005, we are backing up our thanks with 
meaningful action. With this step we are saying that we are ready to 
provide a strong foundation of policies that will actually encourage 
our reservists to continue to serve the country superbly. This is the 
right thing to do, and I look forward to working with my colleagues on 
both sides of the aisle to enacting this legislation this year.
  There being no objection, the letters were ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

                                        National Guard Association


                                         of the United States,

                                   Washington, DC, April 26, 2005.
     Hon. Patrick Leahy,
     U.S. Senate,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Senator Leahy: I am writing on behalf of the men and 
     women of the National Guard Association of the United States 
     to thank you for introducing legislation which addresses the 
     inequities in housing allowances paid to members of the 
     National Guard.
       Your bill, which reduces the threshold for receipt of full 
     BAH from 140 days to 30 days, will have an immediate and 
     positive impact on many of our members who are receiving 
     housing allowances at a rate which is on average $400 less 
     than the regular BAR rate. Because BAH II is not adjusted for 
     location, in some places the loss of income could be as high 
     as $1,000.00, depending on rank.
       As you know, when a Guard member is on duty, the mortgage 
     payment or rent is not reduced. Your bill will rectify this 
     injustice and allow National Guard members to receive full 
     BAH when on orders for more than 30 days.
       At no other time in recent history have the men and women 
     of the National Guard been asked to sacrifice so much for the 
     good of the Nation. We thank you for recognizing their 
     contribution and sacrifice and working to remove this 
     inequity in their housing allowance.
       Please don't hesitate to call on us if there is anything we 
     else we can do to support this worthwhile legislation.
           Sincerely,
                                                 Stephen M. Koper,
     Brigadier General, Retired President.
                                  ____

         Enlisted Association of the National Guard of the United 
           States,
                                   Alexandria, VA, April 21, 2005.
     Hon. Patrick Leahy,
     U.S. Senate,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Senator Leahy: On behalf of the Enlisted men and women 
     of the Army and Air National Guard, thank you for introducing 
     legislation to reduce the threshold for the receipt of Basic 
     Allowance for Housing (BAH) to 30 days. This bill will 
     authorize National Guard and Reserve members on active duty 
     for more than 30 days to receive full BAH instead of the 
     lower BAH II they now receive if their orders are for less 
     than 140 days.
       Almost all National Guard members must maintain a private 
     residence while performing periods of active duty. Their rent 
     or mortgage payment doesn't go away when they are called to 
     active duty.
       National Guard and Reserve members who are on active duty 
     for less than 140 days receive BAH II instead of the BAH that 
     every other servicemembers receives. BAH II is based on the 
     old BAQ rate and is, on average, $400 less than the average 
     BAH rate. it is not adjusted for location. In some places, 
     such as the Washington, DC Metro area, the difference can be 
     $1,000, depending upon the rank of the servicemember.
       A significant percentage of mobilized Guard members earn 
     less on active duty than in their civilian careers and paying 
     them a reduced housing allowance only makes the financial 
     difficulty worse. Your bill would eliminate this inequity for 
     most National Guard and Reserve members by changing the 
     threshold from 140 days to 30 days.
       Thank you so much for addressing one of the many needs of 
     our National Guard members. EANGUS will support this 
     legislation in any way possible. If there is anything we can 
     do to assist, please let us know.
           Working for America's Best!
                                   MSG (Ret) Michael P. Cline AUS,
     Executive Director.
                                  ____



                                 Reserve Enlisted Association,

                                                   April 21, 2005.
     Hon. Patrick J. Leahy,
     Hon. Christopher S. ``Kit'' Bond,
     U.S. Senate,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Senator Leahy and Senator Bond: The Reserve Officers 
     Association, representing over 75,000 Reserve Component 
     members and the Reserve Enlisted Association supporting all 
     Reserve enlisted members, supports your bill to require that 
     members of the National Guard and Reserve called or ordered 
     to active duty for a period of more than 30 days receive a 
     basic allowance for housing at the same rate as similarly 
     situated members of the regular components of the uniformed 
     services.
       This bill tears down a barrier at a time when the services 
     will need to rely on volunteerism as they run out of 
     mobilization authority. The lower Reserve Component housing 
     allowance has been reported by ROA members as a reason why 
     they are not encouraged to volunteer for active duty.
       Additionally, it will also help to offset pay differential 
     and positively affect the financial health of our military 
     families. The provisions of your bill meet sound business 
     practices by targeting entitlements and we are encouraged it 
     will receive bipartisan interest. Congressional support for 
     our nation's military men and women in the Guard and Reserve 
     is and always will be appreciated.
           Sincerely,
     Robert A. McIntosh,
       Major General (Ret), USAFR, ROA Executive Director.
     Lani Burnett,
       CMSgt, USAFR (Ret), REA Executive Director.
                                  ____



                                 Association of the U.S. Army,

                                    Arlington, VA, April 22, 2005.
     Hon. Patrick Leahy,
     U.S. Senate,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Senator Leahy: On behalf of the more than 100,000 
     members of the Association of the United States Army (AUSA), 
     I thank you for introducing legislation to reduce the 
     threshold for the receipt of Basic Allowance for Housing II 
     (BAH II) to 30 days.
       Almost all National Guard members must maintain a private 
     residence while performing periods of active duty. Their rent 
     or mortgage payment doesn't go away when they are called to 
     active duty.
       National Guard and Reserve members who are on active duty 
     for less than 140 days receive BAH II instead of the Basic 
     Allowance

[[Page S4558]]

     for Housing (BAH) that every other servicemember receives. 
     BAH II is based on the old BAQ rate and is, on average, $400 
     less than the average BAH rate. It is not adjusted for 
     location. In some places, such as the Washington, D.C. Metro 
     area, the difference can be $1,000, depending upon the rank 
     of the servicemember.
       A significant percentage of mobilized Guard members earn 
     less on active duty than in their civilian careers and paying 
     them a reduced housing allowance only makes the financial 
     difficulty worse. Your bill would eliminate this inequity for 
     most National Guard and Reserve members by changing the 
     threshold from 140 days to 30 days.
       AUSA will support this legislation in any way possible. If 
     there is anything we can do to assist, please let us know.
           Sincerely,
                                               Gordon R. Sullivan,
     General, USA Retired.
                                  ____


                       Fleet Reserve Association,

                                   Alexandria, VA, April 22, 2005.
     Hon. Patrick J. Leahy,
     U.S. Senate,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Senator Leahy: FRA wholeheartedly endorses your 
     introduction of legislation authorizing National Guard and 
     Reservists called to active duty for a period of more than 30 
     days to receive a basic allowance for housing (BAH) at the 
     same rate as their active duty counterparts.
       Current policy require Reservists serving less than 140 
     days receive ``BAH II,'' which is generally a flat-rate 
     amount based on pay grade and marital status rather than the 
     market-influenced, geographically-driven allowance that 
     active duty personnel receive.
       At the specific request of senior enlisted leaders of the 
     Coast Guard, FRA addressed this inadequacy in Congressional 
     testimony, recommending a policy change authorizing 
     Reservists activated 30 days or more to be eligible for 
     locally based BAH. This measure significantly helps ensure 
     Reservists' compensation reflects the duties our Nation has 
     asked them to perform.
       The Association salutes you for your efforts and is 
     committed to working toward enactment of this important 
     legislation.
           Sincerely,
                                                 Joseph L. Barnes,
                                     National Executive Secretary.
                                 ______