[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 136 (Thursday, September 24, 2009)]
[Senate]
[Page S9856]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         RESERVE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION MODERNIZATION ACT OF 2009

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the consideration of Calendar No. 158, S. 1599.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bill by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (S. 1599) to amend title 36, United States Code, to 
     include in the federal charter of the Reserve Officers 
     Association leadership positions newly added in its 
     constitution and bylaws.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill.
  Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, I am pleased that today the Senate will 
pass the Reserve Officers Association Modernization Act of 2009. I 
thank Senator Chambliss and Senator Pryor, cosponsors of this 
legislation and chairs of the U.S. Reserve Caucus, for their hard work 
and support of this legislation.
  This legislation makes several updates to the charter of the Reserve 
Officers Association, ROA, to more accurately reflect the 
organization's current operation. First, it adds the position of 
``president elect'' to its constitution and bylaws. Additionally, under 
the legislation, the national executive committee is expanded to 
include three representatives from each of the seven branches of the 
uniformed services. This bill makes the first changes to the ROA 
charter since 1998 and will enable ROA to continue its good work.
  Since its founding in 1922, the ROA has worked on behalf of the 
National Guard and Reserves and their families. For over 85 years, ROA 
has remained committed to its original mission, to ``support and 
promote the development and execution of a military policy for the 
United States that will provide adequate National security.'' The 
Reserve Officers Association represents the Reserve components officers 
for the Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, the Air and 
Army National Guard, Public Health Service, and the officers of the 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
  As chair of the Senate National Guard Caucus, I have worked closely 
with groups like the Reserve Officers Association, ROA, to ensure that 
the National Guard and Reserves have access to more affordable health 
care, a greater influence in the military, adequate training facilities 
and supplies, and shorter troop deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan. 
The National Guard and Reserves provide an invaluable contribution to 
our Nation's military, our national security, and disaster relief 
efforts, and it is vital that we continue to support their needs.
  The Reserve Officers Association has provided a voice to the men and 
women that serve our country in the National Guard and Reserves. I am 
proud that today the Senate has demonstrated its support for the brave 
members of the National Guard and Reserves by passing this legislation.
  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill be 
read the third time, passed, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the 
table, with no intervening action or debate, and that any statements 
relating to the matter be printed in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The bill (S. 1599) was ordered to be engrossed for a third reading, 
was read the third time, and passed, as follows:

                                S. 1599

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

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Reserve Officers Association 
     Modernization Act of 2009''.

     SEC. 2. INCLUSION OF NEW LEADERSHIP POSITIONS IN THE FEDERAL 
                   CHARTER OF THE RESERVE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION.

       (a) National Executive Committee.--Section 190104(b)(2) of 
     title 36, United States Code, is amended--
       (1) by inserting ``the president elect,'' after ``the 
     president,'';
       (2) by inserting ``a minimum of'' before ``3 national 
     executive committee members,''; and
       (3) by striking ``except the executive director,'' and 
     inserting ``except the president elect and the executive 
     director,''.
       (b) Officers.--Section 190104(c) of such title is amended--
       (1) in paragraph (1)--
       (A) by inserting ``a president elect,'' after ``a 
     president,'';
       (B) by inserting ``a minimum of'' before ``3 national 
     executive committee members,'';
       (C) by striking ``a surgeon, a chaplain, a historian, a 
     public relations officer,''; and
       (D) by striking ``as decided at the national convention'' 
     and inserting ``specified in the constitution of the 
     corporation''; and
       (2) in paragraph (2)--
       (A) by inserting ``and take office'' after ``be elected''; 
     and
       (B) by striking ``and the national public relations 
     officer,'' and inserting ``the judge advocate, and any other 
     national officers specified in the constitution of the 
     corporation,''.
       (c) Vacancies.--Section 190104(d)(1) of such title is 
     amended by striking ``president and last past president,'' 
     and inserting ``president, president elect, and last past 
     president,''.
       (d) Records and Inspection.--Section 190109(a)(2) of such 
     title is amended by striking ``national council;'' and 
     inserting ``other national entities of the corporation;''.

  Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, tonight the Senate has approved a 3-month 
extension of the FAA Reauthorization Act.
  While I understand the importance of passing a short-term extension 
of this law, I am disappointed that the full Senate has yet to act on 
the FAA reauthorization bill that was ordered reported by the Senate 
Commerce Committee in July. That bill, the FAA Air Transportation 
Modernization and Safety Improvement Act, includes long overdue 
legislation known as the Airline Passenger Bill of Rights.
  Too often, airline passengers are trapped on airplanes without basic 
needs such as food, water, medicine, working restrooms or proper cabin 
ventilation.
  Just last month, passengers on a flight from Houston to Minneapolis-
St. Paul were diverted to Rochester, MN, and forced to spend the night 
trapped in a small commuter airplane.
  Two weeks later, a flight carrying more than 100 passengers bound for 
Minneapolis was forced to sit on the tarmac at JFK airport in New York 
for 6 hours before finally departing. The passengers, including parents 
traveling with infants, were forced to endure overflowing bathrooms and 
had no real food or water to speak of.
  These are not isolated examples of a few airlines with ineffective 
policies. USA Today recently reported that since January 2007, 200,000 
domestic passengers on 3,000 flights have been stranded in airplanes on 
the tarmac for 3 hours or more.
  This is unacceptable. We must pass the Airline Passenger Bill of 
Rights this year--before the 3-month extension of the FAA 
reauthorization bill expires. The Passenger Bill of Rights, which I 
have introduced with Senator Olympia Snowe, would require airlines to 
offer passengers the option of safely leaving a plane they have boarded 
once that plane has sat on the ground for 3 hours.
  Americans deserve a safe and efficient aviation system. We cannot 
afford to wait another year to pass long overdue legislation that will 
make our skies safer and protect passengers from excessive tarmac 
delays. No American should ever be forced to spend the night in a plane 
on an airport tarmac. We can prevent this and we must.
  I know the Senate is working to address many important challenges at 
this time. But, we cannot lose sight of the aviation challenges facing 
our country. It is time for Congress to meet its responsibility to the 
flying public.

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