[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 34 (Thursday, March 16, 2006)]
[Senate]
[Page S2338]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. KERRY (for himself, Mr. Dayton, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Johnson, 
        Mr. Lautenberg, Ms. Mikulski, Mr. Menendez, and Mr. Reid):
  S. 2449. A bill to amend title 10, United States Code, to reduce the 
age for receipt of military retired pay for nonregular service from 60 
years of age to 55 years of age; to the Committee on Armed Services.
  Mr. KERRY. Mr. President, for several years members of this Chamber 
have worked to reduce the age that retired members of the National 
Guard and Reserve can receive their retirement pay from 60 to 55. 
Senator Corzine offered such legislation in the first session of this 
Congress, and I was delighted to co-sponsor it. With Senator Corzine's 
departure from the Senate for the New Jersey State House, we have 
reassembled the body of co-sponsors and are introducing this 
legislation again to signal our continued commitment to addressing this 
issue.
  The issue is simple. If you join the active duty Army at age 18 and 
serve 20 years on active duty, retiring at age 38, you are immediately 
eligible to receive retirement pay. If you join the National Guard or 
Reserves, you may retire after 20 years, but you must wait until age 60 
to begin collecting retirement pay. A 38-year-old veteran of the Guard 
and Reserves must wait 22 years to see any of their retirement pay.
  To be sure, everyone recognizes the difference between service in the 
active component and the reserve component in peace time. But since 
September 11, 2001, as we are reminded almost daily, we have been a 
Nation at war. Our National Guard and Reserves have been fully engaged 
in the War against al Qaeda and the War in Iraq. As of last week, 
nearly 120,000 reservists were mobilized, including 1,230 troops from 
my home state of Massachusetts. And sadly, almost 600 members of the 
Guard and Reserves have made the ultimate sacrifice for this country.
  We can never fully express our Nation's gratitude for their service 
and sacrifice, but we can try to make benefits and compensation more 
worthy of the commitment and service shown by America's citizen 
soldiers. That's exactly what the legislation I introduce today seeks 
to accomplish. I'm delighted to be joined in this effort by Senators 
Dayton, Durbin, Johnson, Lautenberg, Mikulski, Menendez, and Reid.
  It is no secret that our all volunteer force is stretched. Recruiting 
numbers have sagged under the anxieties and concerns of a nation at 
war. Retention has remained healthy to date, but as the nation 
approaches its 5th year of war, we must be proactive in seeking to 
support those who have already done so much for us. Reducing the age at 
which members of the Guard and Reserves can receive their retirement 
pay can help make continued service more attractive, retaining those in 
whom America has already invested so much.
  We are asking for more from our National Guard and Reserve members 
than ever before. In turn we should be providing them with what they 
deserve and have certainly earned. This legislation would be a small 
step in the right direction to honor the service of these Americans and 
to ensure their continued strength.
  I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the 
Record.
  There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be 
printed in the Record, as follows:

                                S. 2449

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. REDUCTION IN AGE FOR RECEIPT OF MILITARY RETIRED 
                   PAY FOR NONREGULAR SERVICE.

       (a) Reduction in Age.--Section 12731(a)(1) of title 10, 
     United States Code, is amended by striking ``at least 60 
     years of age'' and inserting ``at least 55 years of age''.
       (b) Application to Existing Provisions of Law or Policy.--
     With respect to any provision of law, or of any policy, 
     regulation, or directive of the executive branch that refers 
     to a member or former member of the uniformed services as 
     being eligible for, or entitled to, retired pay under chapter 
     1223 of title 10, United States Code, but for the fact that 
     the member or former member is under 60 years of age, such 
     provision shall be carried out with respect to that member or 
     former member by substituting for the reference to being 60 
     years of age, a reference to the age in effect for 
     qualification for such retired pay under section 12731(a) of 
     title 10, United States Code, as amended by subsection (a).
       (c) Effective Date.--The amendment made by subsection (a) 
     shall take effect on the first day of the first month 
     beginning on or after the date of the enactment of this Act 
     and shall apply to retired pay payable for that month and 
     subsequent months.
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