[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 3]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 4353-4354]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




   INTRODUCTION OF TRANSITIONAL HEALTH CARE FOR THE SELECTED RESERVES

                                 ______
                                 

                      HON. SANFORD D. BISHOP, JR.

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 13, 2008

  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I rise today, along with 
Representatives Steve

[[Page 4354]]

Buyer, Gene Taylor, Jeff Miller and 41 additional members, to introduce 
legislation to provide transitional health care for the Selected 
Reserves.
  When an active duty soldier is involuntarily separated from the Army, 
he or she is afforded 180 days of transitional health care at no cost. 
Unfortunately, those soldiers who have served honorably and simply 
leave active duty at the end of their contractual agreement with one of 
the military services are not afforded transitional health care.
  The brave men and women who join the ranks of our proud military 
deserve every consideration upon their release from active duty. This 
legislation provides an important measure to the servicemembers and 
their families as they move to civilian life. It seeks to keep the 
skilled military members in the Guard and Reserves.
  Without our dedicated Guard and Reserves forces, it is impossible to 
keep the threat of terrorism at bay and sustain the Global War on 
Terrorism. Retaining these highly skilled men and women is paramount in 
maintaining our Nation's security. Skills learned while serving on 
active duty and carried to the Guard and Reserves will provide for 
future national and world threats. This small incentive allows 
departing service members a period of adjustment without worrying about 
a sudden illness or a health emergency.
  It is interesting to note that since September 11, 2001, we have had 
over 600,000 members of the Guard and Reserves called to active duty. 
Without the Selected Ready Reserves, our ability to defend against 
enemies foreign and domestic would be greatly reduced. The strength of 
our Guard and Reserves has always been those former active duty 
servicemembers who join their ranks.
  Those servicemembers also represent a trained pool of military talent 
available to serve our Guard and Reserves in a different capacity . . . 
a citizen patriot. Congress should act quickly to help support our 
Guard and Reserves by passing this bill. I am proud to sponsor this 
bill along with the many co-sponsors and encourage you to support this 
important measure.

                          ____________________