[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 20]
[House]
[Pages 27845-27847]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




         RESERVE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION MODERNIZATION ACT OF 2009

  Ms. CHU. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill 
(S. 1599) to amend title 36, United States Code, to include in the 
Federal charter of the Reserve Officers Association leadership 
positions newly added in its constitution and bylaws.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                S. 1599

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

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Reserve Officers Association 
     Modernization Act of 2009''.

     SEC. 2. INCLUSION OF NEW LEADERSHIP POSITIONS IN THE FEDERAL 
                   CHARTER OF THE RESERVE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION.

       (a) National Executive Committee.--Section 190104(b)(2) of 
     title 36, United States Code, is amended--
       (1) by inserting ``the president elect,'' after ``the 
     president,'';
       (2) by inserting ``a minimum of'' before ``3 national 
     executive committee members,''; and
       (3) by striking ``except the executive director,'' and 
     inserting ``except the president elect and the executive 
     director,''.
       (b) Officers.--Section 190104(c) of such title is amended--
       (1) in paragraph (1)--
       (A) by inserting ``a president elect,'' after ``a 
     president,'';

[[Page 27846]]

       (B) by inserting ``a minimum of'' before ``3 national 
     executive committee members,'';
       (C) by striking ``a surgeon, a chaplain, a historian, a 
     public relations officer,''; and
       (D) by striking ``as decided at the national convention'' 
     and inserting ``specified in the constitution of the 
     corporation''; and
       (2) in paragraph (2)--
       (A) by inserting ``and take office'' after ``be elected''; 
     and
       (B) by striking ``and the national public relations 
     officer,'' and inserting ``the judge advocate, and any other 
     national officers specified in the constitution of the 
     corporation,''.
       (c) Vacancies.--Section 190104(d)(1) of such title is 
     amended by striking ``president and last past president,'' 
     and inserting ``president, president elect, and last past 
     president,''.
       (d) Records and Inspection.--Section 190109(a)(2) of such 
     title is amended by striking ``national council;'' and 
     inserting ``other national entities of the corporation;''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Cummings). Pursuant to the rule, the 
gentlewoman from California (Ms. Chu) and the gentleman from North 
Carolina (Mr. Coble) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from California.


                             General Leave

  Ms. CHU. I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative 
days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material 
on the bill under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. CHU. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, S. 1599 amends the nearly 60-year-old Federal charter of 
the Reserve Officers Association to reflect simple changes that have 
already been made to the organization's structure. The Reserve Officers 
Association was founded in 1922 and received a Federal charter by 
Congress in 1950.
  As Congress observed at the time, the purpose of the corporation is 
to support and promote the development and execution of a military 
policy for the United States that will provide adequate national 
security. The ROA represents the Reserve Components officers for the 
Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, the Air and Army 
National Guard, Public Health Service and the officers of the National 
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
  This bill makes a number of technical changes to the ROA's Federal 
charter. For instance, the charter will now include the newly created 
position of president-elect and there would be more positions on the 
ROA's National Executive Committee. S. 1599 was introduced by Senators 
Leahy, Chambliss and Pryor and passed the Senate in September. 
Identical legislation was introduced in the House by Representative 
Howard Coble, my colleague on the Judiciary Committee, and 
Representatives Carney and Gary G. Miller.
  I commend the House sponsors as well as Chairman Conyers and Ranking 
Member Smith for their leadership in moving this bill swiftly to the 
floor. It is important to point out that this bill does not run afoul 
of the Immigration Subcommittee's policy to not create any new Federal 
charters. Rather than create a new Federal charter, it merely amends a 
nearly 60-year-old existing charter.
  This policy against new charters was first adopted by the 
subcommittee of jurisdiction 20 years ago in the 101st Congress and has 
strong bipartisan support. It is based on the considered judgment that 
a congressional charter is unnecessary to the operation of any 
charitable organization and may falsely imply to the public that an 
organization and its activities carry a congressional seal of approval.
  Moreover, this policy reflects the subcommittee's judgment that the 
investigation and monitoring of a chartered organization takes 
congressional time and resources that are better spent on important 
policy and oversight efforts. That we are taking up this body's 
valuable time today to ratify simple changes to the ROA's leadership 
structure is evidence in itself that Congress should not be increasing 
the number of chartered organizations.

                              {time}  1415

  That having been said, because S. 1599 makes only technical 
amendments to an existing charter and does nothing to create a new 
charter, I support this legislation.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. COBLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  The gentlelady from California (Ms. Chu) pretty well touched very 
thoroughly on this subject matter, and I'll add somewhat to that. I 
rise in strong support of S. 1599. The Reserve Officers Association is 
well known and respected in Washington, D.C. It was founded in 1922 by 
General ``Black Jack'' Pershing with a mission to ``support and promote 
the development and execution of a military policy for the United 
States that will provide adequate national defense.''
  The Reserve Officers Association has as its goal to ensure adequate 
resources for the National Guard and the various reserve components and 
ensure that these entities play a key role in the national defense. The 
Association also is dedicated to the support of the interests of our 
citizen soldiers, their families and their survivors. Membership is 
open to all federally commissioned military officers and warrant 
officers and their spouses. There are currently about 65,000 members.
  The Reserve Officers Association received a Federal charter in 1950. 
The Association would like to modify its charter to reflect technical 
changes made to its Constitution and bylaws, such as the addition of 
the position of ``president elect'' and the allowance for more than 
three executive committee members. That is what this legislation 
accomplishes. The Senate passed the bill in September by unanimous 
consent, and I've introduced a companion House version in this body.
  I urge my colleagues to support this meritorious legislation, which 
will allow the Reserve Officers Association to continue to play a vital 
role here in Washington.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. CHU. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. COBLE. I have one speaker remaining, Mr. Speaker. I yield to the 
distinguished gentleman from California (Mr. Gary G. Miller) such time 
as he may consume.
  Mr. GARY G. MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank 
Chairman Conyers and Ranking Member Smith for allowing S. 1599 to come 
to the floor today. I want to also thank my colleague, Howard Coble, 
who just previously spoke before me, a retired U.S. Coast Guard 
captain, and Chris Carney, an active reservist Navy commander, for 
introducing the House companion bill. I also wish to thank the 
committee staff for working so diligently behind the scenes to bring 
the bill to the floor today.
  Founded in 1922, then chartered by Congress in 1950, the Reserve 
Officers Association's mission is to ``support and promote development 
and execution of a military policy for the United States that will 
provide adequate national security.'' ROA is a first-class, member-
oriented association which provides the men and women who serve our 
Nation in the cause of freedom a voice in creating government policy.
  ROA has a long list of policy accomplishments and an ambitious long-
range program for the coming decade and beyond. Today ROA is still 
proudly serving our Nation's soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines in 
so many ways. This legislation, once enacted into law, will allow ROA 
to make the necessary technical changes within its organization to stay 
effective as an association.
  In 2010, ROA will be celebrating its 60th year as a congressionally 
chartered organization. I wish them continued success and thank them 
for their service to our country.
  Mr. COBLE. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak in 
support of the Reserve Officers Association Modernization Act. As a 
member of the Homeland Security Committee, I understand the role of the 
brave men and women of the National Guard and the Reserves and I 
strongly support legislation that facilitates their ability to continue 
to provide an excellent service to the United States.

[[Page 27847]]

  The Reserve Officers Association was founded in 1922 by several 
hundred military officers, many of whom were veterans of World War I. 
The Association was concerned that in the wake of World War I, the 
complacency and isolationism that was sweeping across the political 
landscape would lead to a return to America's pre war unpreparedness. 
In June 1950, President Truman signed the Reserve Officers 
Association's charter into law. Today, over 80 years after the 
Association's founding, the complacency that its founders feared is 
long gone, yet the Reserve Officers Association remains committed to 
its mission: ``. . . [to] support and promote the development and 
execution of a military policy for the United States that will provide 
adequate National Security.''
  Today, the Reserve Officers Association is organized into 55 
departments with one department in each of the 50 states, and 5 
additional departments located in Latin America, Puerto Rico, Europe, 
the District of Columbia and the Far East. Each department is further 
divided into chapters. There are over 550 chapters around the world.
  The Reserve Officers Association helped to establish the bipartisan 
Reserve Component Caucus in the House of Representatives, of which, of 
course, I am a member, to provide congressional oversight of Reserve 
issues and programs.
  Since the events of September 11, 2001, our country has relied more 
heavily on the National Guard and the Reserves than at any other time 
in recent history. The National Guard and the Reserves play a 
significant role in the United States military, national security and 
disaster relief efforts. The Reserves and the National Guard have 
stepped forward to answer the call of duty in both Iraq and 
Afghanistan. Furthermore, they have each played pivotal roles in 
homeland security and disaster relief. These new, demanding 
responsibilities of the National Guard and the Reserves require an 
update of policies, and of the Reserves Officers Association charter.
  This legislation is designed to update the Reserve Officers 
Association's Federal Charter to reflect the current operations of the 
Association. The bill extends the Association's National Executive 
Committee, its governing body, to include the Association's president-
elect. It also names the president-elect as an officer of the 
Association. Furthermore, it provides for the possibility of having 
more than 3 national executive committee members as officers and on the 
National Executive Committee. The bill also provides for one vote for 
each member of the Committee except the president elect and the 
executive director. The bill also provides for certain officers to be 
decided in accordance with the Association's Constitution.
  It is our responsibility to provide for the needs of the National 
Guard and the Reserves. They each contribute to our Nation's military, 
our national security and disaster relief efforts. I am proud and 
honored to support the brave men and women of the Reserves and the 
National Guard by endorsing this legislation. I encourage all of my 
colleagues to vote in support of this bill to bring the Reserve 
Officers Association Federal Charter up to date so that the 
organization can continue to provide a valuable and honorable service 
to the United States of America.
  Ms. CHU. I urge my colleagues to support S. 1599, and I yield back 
the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from California (Ms. Chu) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, S. 1599.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. COBLE. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.

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