[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 170 (Tuesday, November 8, 2011)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7189-S7192]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
By Mr. BLUNT (for himself and Mrs. Gillibrand):
S. 1823. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for
employment and reemployment rights for certain individuals ordered to
full-time National Guard duty, and for other purposes; to the Committee
on Veterans' Affairs.
Mr. BLUNT. Mr. President, I join with my friend from New York to
discuss the needs of our National Guard. We are introducing two
important pieces of legislation today that I believe will help address
those needs.
I have always been a strong supporter of our brave men and women of
the Missouri National Guard, who contribute greatly to the safety and
security of our country. Those who serve or who have served deserve
America's deepest respect and must receive the resources they need when
they come home.
Since the events of September 11, 2001, the men and women of the
Missouri National Guard have answered the call of our Nation by
volunteering to go into harm's way. Many of our soldiers and airmen in
the National Guard have been deployed numerous times, working and
training side by side with our active duty members. As you can imagine,
multiple deployments take a toll on both our guardsmen and women and
their families.
The Missouri National Guard is an emergency response force for
disasters readiness and relief. They have responded to a wide range of
State and national emergencies including flooding, tornadoes and even
hurricanes on the Gulf Coast. During the historic floods this summer,
the Missouri Guard had more than 600 guardsmen serving 14 counties
across Missouri to assist with flood relief. After the devastating
tornado in Joplin, MO, the 1-138 Infantry Regiment helped to remove
debris and assisted in gathering and provided information for those
seeking local, State and Federal resources. Members of 1139 Military
Police Battalion helped to aid law enforcement officers with traffic
control and security.
As part of their Federal mission, from 2008-2009 our Missouri
National Guard deployed more than 1,000 citizen-soldiers to Kosovo, and
in 2009 we deployed 2,352 soldiers and 1,670 Airmen to support overseas
contingency operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Currently 1,101
Missouri Guardsmen are deployed. After serving admirably in their
tours, our Guardsmen and women return home, yet they do not always
receive the resources they need to provide for themselves and their
families. The National Guard Outreach Act of 2011, introduced by
Senator Gillibrand, will help to correct this deficiency.
The active Army health plans only cover service men and women for 6
months after they have returned from their deployments. For many, this
time period is spent simply adjusting back to civilian life. Studies
show the real stress of combat and separation from one's family takes
its toll on our service members and their loved ones for up to two
years after they return home. Over the past several years, Congress has
extended the coverage for returning National Guard soldiers with money
from Overseas Contingency Operations funding, better known around here
as supplementals. Since this funding is being normalized, I believe
it's important that we continue to provide for the needs of our
returning citizen-soldiers.
The National Guard Outreach Act of 2011 would help to provide those
returning home with secure health services, marriage and financial
counseling, substance abuse treatment and other services necessary to
aid in a smooth transition for those returning home from Iraq and
Afghanistan. Undiagnosed illnesses, left untreated, have long-lasting
social, emotional and financial impacts long after service members are
reintegrated into a community. Many Guardsmen and women today lack
health insurance and go without health care as well as behavioral
health care. I thank Senator Gillibrand for introducing this
legislation and for working with me on the bill.
I am also introducing the National Guard Employment Protection Act of
2011 to amend the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights
Act of 1994, USERRA, to authorize the Secretary of Defense to include
[[Page S7192]]
Full Time National Guard Duty for possible exemption from the USERRA 5-
year limit on service. These exemptions cover service during a time of
war or national emergency, support of missions where others have been
ordered to duty under an involuntary call-up authority, and for other
critical missions or requirements.
Usually, certain types of active duty service are exempted from the
five-year reemployment limit under USERRA. However, the needs of today
have left our Guardsmen and women performing duties which are not
covered under the USERRA, forcing Guard units to return to duty much
sooner than usual. This, in turn, keeps service members away for longer
periods of time, often beyond the 5-year limit. When National Guardsmen
and women are working side by side with their Active Duty counterparts
supporting critical active duty missions, they should not be forced to
decide between keeping their civilian jobs and supporting critical
national security missions.
At no time in America's history has the National Guard played such a
critical role in the defense and security of our homeland, both as
partners with our active forces and allies on the continuing War on
Terror and as a critical component of homeland emergency preparedness
and disaster response. We must make sure all of our Nation's heroes can
fulfill their missions without worrying about supporting their families
when returning home.
As a Nation, we must honor our men and women in uniform, providing
them with the resources they need, both in combat and when they return
home to their families and civilian lives. This is why I am proud to
play a lead role in supporting the National Guard Employment Protection
Act of 2011 and the National Guard Outreach Act.
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