[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.
                                 ______