[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 44 (Monday, March 22, 2010)]
[Senate]
[Page S1814]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. BEGICH (for himself and Mrs. Murray):
  S. 3150. A bill to increase the mileage reimbursement rate for 
members of the armed services during permanent change of station and to 
authorize the transportation of additional motor vehicles of members on 
change of permanent station to or from nonforeign areas outside the 
continental United States; to the Committee on Armed Services.
  Mr. BEGICH. Mr. President, I rise to introduce a bill entitled the 
Service Members Permanent Change of Station Relief Act--or PCS Relief 
Act. I am proud to introduce this legislation and thank my cosponsor 
Senator Patty Murray. This bill will provide our servicemembers and 
their families much-needed financial relief during these hard economic 
times.
  Like most families, our servicemembers are pinching their pennies 
too. Unfortunately, often they incur many unnecessary financial burdens 
related to their service and their sacrifice. For instance, right now, 
our servicemembers with spouses and children are only reimbursed for 
shipping one vehicle to or from Alaska, Hawaii, and Guam during a 
permanent change of station. This means if they get directed to move to 
a military base in Alaska from Texas, or to Texas from Alaska, they 
must pay to transport a second car themselves, or they must sell their 
vehicle and purchase a new car at the next location. This can be a 
costly option.
  However, many military families cannot afford to ship a second 
vehicle or purchase another car. Without a second vehicle, spouses and 
children who accompany a servicemember on a permanent change of station 
may be unable to hold a job, run daily errands, or otherwise 
participate in their new communities. Many States have large military 
bases, such as Joint Base Elmendorf and Fort Richardson in Alaska. With 
housing on one end and base services on another, some families cannot 
even get to the grocery store or take their children to a doctor in an 
emergency.
  Colleagues, it is unacceptable that we put our military families in a 
position where they have to make a choice between the inability to meet 
daily needs and take care of their family in an emergency, or pay more 
than $1,500 to ship a second vehicle. Under the PCS Relief Act, our 
military families will be able to ship a second car to and from Hawaii, 
Alaska, and Guam to ease the hardships and alleviate needless costs.
  To further alleviate needless costs, the legislation will increase 
the gas mileage reimbursement rate during a permanent change in 
station. Currently, when our personnel drive from one military base to 
the next on their government-directed move, they are reimbursed less 
than half the amount they get under temporary duty assignments. The 
temporary duty reimbursement rate reflects the true cost of operating a 
vehicle. The current PCS reimbursement rate of 16 cents per mile does 
not, creating yet another financial burden for servicemembers.
  It doesn't make any sense that gas mileage reimbursement rates are 
different amounts for PCS and TDY. Our servicemembers get official 
orders to move. It is not optional.
  They are both official business expenditures. We already ask so much 
of our servicemembers and their families. They are fighting two wars. 
They move at the military services' direction, relocating themselves 
and their families to new military bases every few years. It is unfair 
we are asking them to pay out of pocket on these government-directed 
moves, or experience unwarranted and pointless hardships due to 
financial constraints.
  In these tough economic times, it is more important than ever that we 
show our support for our servicemembers and their families. Relieving 
stress and strain during a permanent change in station is the least we 
can do. I ask my colleagues to support the Service Members PCS Relief 
Act.

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