[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 133 (Wednesday, September 29, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1807]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              PROVIDING HONORARY TITLE FOR ARMY RESERVISTS

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                               speech of

                            HON. TOM LATHAM

                                of iowa

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 28, 2010

  Mr. LATHAM. Mr. Speaker, I strongly urge my colleagues to support 
H.R. 3787, which I joined my colleague the gentleman from Minnesota in 
introducing. Our military increasingly depends on the National Guard 
and Reserve to keep our country safe. Men and women who served our 
country faithfully for decades deserve full recognition as veterans, 
even if they were never deployed. The legislation would extend full 
veteran status under federal law to retired members of the Guard and 
Reserve. Current law does not consider Guard and Reserve members to be 
veterans unless they were deployed for more than 30 days. The policy 
excludes many soldiers in the Guard and Reserve who, while never 
deployed for long periods of time, carried out critical support roles 
during times of war and peace, engaged in frequent and often dangerous 
training exercises, and stood ready to risk their lives to protect our 
nation during military careers that spanned decades. This legislation 
recognizes the service and sacrifice of National Guard and Reserve 
retirees and grants them the full honor of being called veterans that 
they have earned. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, 
which is a matter of honor and fairness to our citizen soldiers.

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