[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 11]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 14342-14343]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 SENSE OF THE HOUSE COMMENDING NATION'S BUSINESSES AND BUSINESS OWNERS 
              FOR SUPPORT OF OUR TROOPS AND THEIR FAMILIES

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                             HON. DAVE CAMP

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 4, 2003

  Mr. CAMP. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 201. This 
bill expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that American 
businesses should be commended for their support of our troops and 
their families. I would like to thank my colleague from Michigan, Mr. 
Rogers, for introducing this timely and appropriate tribute and urge my 
colleagues to vote in favor of this resolution.
  Since September 11, 2001, the Armed Forces have undertaken more than 
21 months of courageous and successful operations against terrorism 
worldwide. Over 216,931 members of the Reserve components have been 
called to leave their families and their jobs to serve our country. 
From my own State of Michigan, over 1,000 individuals have been called 
to Active Duty.
  National Guard and Reserve members comprise 38 percent of our 
military and support by their employers is crucial. It can be a 
struggle for Guard and Reserve members to find a balance between 
serving our country and dedication to their employment. For activated 
service members to be successful in their missions, they need peace of 
mind that their families, civilian jobs, and other responsibilities 
will be stable and financially secure in their absence.
  We have established a law to protect our troops and this law has 
significantly reinforced the respect and encouragement our armed forces 
deserve. The Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act 
(USERRA) provides job protection and rights of reinstatement to 
employees who participate in the National Guard and Reserve. The act 
seeks to ensure that members of the uniformed services are entitled to 
return to their civilian employment upon completion of their service. 
They should be reinstated with the seniority, status, and rate of pay 
they would have obtained had they remained continuously employed by 
their civilian employer. The law also protects individuals from 
discrimination in hiring, promotion, and retention on the basis of 
present and future membership in the Armed Forces.
  Many employers have gone above and beyond what is required under 
USERRA. They have expanded their pay differential and medical coverage 
policies for Reserve and National Guard members called to Active Duty.

[[Page 14343]]

Along with the companies who provide a pay differential during service 
members' annual training and mobilization, continuation of insurance 
and other company benefits, establishing family support networks to 
maintain open lines of communication, and facilitating information 
sharing have been used to mitigate the psychological hardships of war.
  Employers' willingness to bear the inevitable financial hardships and 
organizational disruptions that result from war is an important 
contribution to our Nation's security. In placing America's well being 
above their own, employers help our National Guard provide mission-
ready forces to help preserve our freedoms and protect our national 
interests.
  Our Nation's businesses and business owners serve our country in many 
ways, especially in these days of increased engagement of our military 
in strategic locations around our Nation and around the world. I would 
like to commend their patriotism and offer my sincere gratitude to the 
men and women defending America.

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