[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 151 (Tuesday, October 11, 2011)]
[House]
[Pages H6729-H6730]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  2000
         PROVIDING HONORARY STATUS TO RESERVE MILITARY MEMBERS

  Mr. RUNYAN. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 1025) to amend title 38, United States Code, to recognize 
the service in the reserve components of certain persons by honoring 
them with status as veterans under law.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 1025

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

     SECTION 1. PROVISION OF STATUS UNDER LAW BY HONORING CERTAIN 
                   MEMBERS OF THE RESERVE COMPONENTS AS VETERANS.

       (a) In General.--Chapter 1 of title 38, United States Code, 
     is amended by inserting after section 107 the following new 
     section:

     ``Sec. 107A. Honoring as veterans certain persons who 
       performed service in the reserve components

       ``Any person who is entitled under chapter 1223 of title 10 
     to retired pay for nonregular service or, but for age, would 
     be entitled under such chapter to retired pay for nonregular 
     service shall be honored as a veteran but shall not be 
     entitled to any benefit by reason of this section.''.
       (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the 
     beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting after the 
     item relating to section 107 the following new item:

``107A. Honoring as veterans certain persons who performed service in 
              the reserve components.''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New 
Jersey (Mr. Runyan) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Filner) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New Jersey.
  Mr. RUNYAN. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, H.R. 1025 recognizes those retired from the National 
Guard and Reserve component of the United States Armed Forces by 
honoring them with the status of veterans under law.
  Representative Walz of Minnesota, the bill's chief sponsor, recently 
commented that ``failure to recognize those who have served 20 years or 
more in the Reserve and National Guard as veterans represents a gross 
injustice.''
  These are men and women who showed devotion and dedication, serving 
their Nation in uniform for an entire career of 20 years or more in the 
Reserve and National Guard. These servicemembers wore the same uniform 
as active duty servicemembers, were subject to the same code of 
military justice, received the same training, and were available for 
call-up to active duty service at any time.
  H.R. 1025 confers honorary veteran's status on the individuals who 
are entitled to retirement pay for nonregular service or who would be 
entitled to retirement pay but for age. In addition, this bill ensures 
those who receive the honorary recognition as veterans conferred in the 
bill would not be entitled to any statutory benefit under title 38 or 
any other title of United States Code for reason of such recognition 
alone.
  I would now like to yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Latham).
  Mr. LATHAM. Madam Speaker, I strongly urge my colleagues to support 
H.R. 1025. I join my colleague, the gentleman from Minnesota, in 
introducing this bill. My colleagues, you may not be aware that a 
member of the Guard and Reserve can complete an entire career without 
earning the title of veteran of the armed forces of the United States 
if they have never served on Federal active duty for other than 
training purposes.
  As a result, National Guard members protecting our skies and 
airports, or protecting our Southern border--technically under State 
orders--may one day retire from the Guard but not qualify to be 
classified as a veteran of our Armed Forces.
  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 overseas.
  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 who 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, which they've earned. I urge my colleagues to support 
this legislation, which is a matter of honor and fairness for our 
citizens soldiers.
  Mr. FILNER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  The bill before us, H.R. 1025, as noted sponsored by Congressman Walz 
of Minnesota, would ensure that deserving men and women of our National 
Guard and Reserve receive the honor and distinction of being called 
veterans. It seems a simple thing, and yet it is denied them.
  Representative Walz introduced this bill in the last Congress. I'm 
disappointed to say it didn't clear the Senate, and so we'll have to 
try again. Our Guard and Reserve comprise a large component of those 
called to serve in our current wars, and these changing dynamics need 
to be incorporated into our policies. I think this bill strikes the 
desired balance. I am in full support of the bill.
  I would now yield such time as he may consume to the author of the 
bill, Congressman Walz, to explain it in more detail.
  Mr. WALZ of Minnesota. I thank the ranking member for yielding me 
this time, as well as being a staunch supporter of this and, of course, 
other legislation to secure the rights and benefits for our veterans.
  I would also like to thank the gentleman from New Jersey for his 
unwavering support on this and other bills, and appreciate all of the 
things that are moving today.
  I say a special thank you to Chairman Miller and the majority leader 
and the majority whip who changed the schedule around to allow this 
bill to be debated tonight after Representatives Roe, Benishek, 
DesJarlais, Denham, and I returned from Afghanistan, visiting our 
warriors downrange defending freedom and putting their lives on the 
line and doing it in such a professional manner, and standing there and 
not being able to tell the difference between a Navy, a Marine, or an 
Army National Guard or Reservist, all of those services working 
together in unity for this.
  I'm proud to sponsor this piece of legislation, the Honor America's 
Guard and Reserve Act. The veterans' community has prioritized this for 
a long time. About the honor that you heard my good friend and the lead 
Republican sponsor on this from Iowa, Mr. Latham, talk about, it's 
about that honor and dignity and a country respecting that.
  These are folks who serve in so many ways, responding to national 
emergencies. But, most importantly, I think, standing ready to be 
deployed at a moment's notice as a deterrent to aggression. They stood 
there during the Cold War, many of these people for 20 years, serving 
this Nation, training the current warriors who are downrange. And yet 
we will honor them with military retired pay, medical care through

[[Page H6730]]

Tricare, we'll even bury them in a veterans' cemetery. But under 
current law, that member of that reserve component, if they weren't 
called up under title 10 for more than 179 days, the honor we will not 
bestow upon them is the right to call themselves veterans, and that 
truly is a gross injustice. I believe it's an oversight to them, and 
its an oversight to their families who understood the respect they had. 
I think it is basic common sense. A reservist can be buried in a 
Federal cemetery. They should have the right--and what this bestows 
upon them, no money, no extra benefits, but when the flag comes by on 
Veterans Day, they can render a hand salute in taking part when that 
national anthem is played. It is about honor.
  It may not seem important to some, but for those who wear the uniform 
subject to the Uniform Code of Military Justice, received the same 
training, and spent 20 years away from their families and had the 
ability to be called up, this lack of recognition is a gross injustice. 
H.R. 1025 will finally correct this in a straightforward way, including 
the Guard and Reserve retiree in the definition of the term 
``veteran.'' It will ensure they're no longer regulated to second-class 
status.
  As I've said, the sole purpose is to grant veteran's status to those 
who've been denied it to this point. In light of this fact, let me be 
absolutely clear: it's about honor. It's not about monetary benefits or 
material privilege. Both the Congressional Research Service as well as 
the Department of Veterans Affairs concluded this legislation will 
provide no additional benefits; instead, it is a tribute to their 
service. It has been reinforced by the Congressional Budget Office 
which says it has a zero cost to taxpayers. It's a simple bill. It 
simply states that those members of the Guard who've served for all of 
their time, stood ready to be deployed for whatever reason at a 
moment's notice, have earned the right to be considered veterans.
  I would like to point out this legislation is supported by the 
Military Coalition and the National Military Veterans Alliance, which 
together represent more than 4 million active-duty servicemember 
veterans and their families.

  I'd like to thank everyone who has engaged in this. It's been a long 
process. We've got a companion version in the Senate, Madam Speaker, 
and the time is right to bestow this honor on those who have given so 
much. So with that, I encourage my colleagues to use this as an 
opportunity to right an injustice, to stand tall with our Guard and 
Reserve soldiers, to set this right and allow them to proudly, by this 
Veterans Day, be able to render their hand salute to our flag.
  Mr. RUNYAN. I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from 
Tennessee, Dr. Roe.
  Mr. ROE of Tennessee. I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  Madam Speaker, I want to thank my friend, Mr. Walz, for his 
leadership on this very important issue which is long overdue. I think 
both sides of the aisle feel this is an injustice. It's gone on far too 
long. When you take the oath to uphold the Constitution, you put on the 
service uniform of our country, you serve your obligation and are 
honorably discharged. You are a veteran. You're as much a veteran as I 
am, who served on active duty.
  Just a few hours ago, Congressman Walz and others who he mentioned 
were in Landstuhl, Germany, before we flew home, and saw National 
Guardsmen, who may not be able to be called veterans, flying planes 
home to bring our wounded warriors home.
  I knew that this legislation was coming up tonight, and I felt 
compelled, after meeting these young men and women who are doing an 
incredible job to protect our wounded warriors and protect our country, 
they be offered this status of veterans. This bill rights a long-
standing wrong. I urge very strong support of this much-needed 
legislation.

                              {time}  2010

  Mr. FILNER. Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.


                             General Leave

  Mr. RUNYAN. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on 
H.R. 1025.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New Jersey?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. RUNYAN. I once again encourage all Members to support H.R. 1025, 
and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Runyan) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 1025.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________