1. Pending Legislative Issues: Reduced Retirement, TRICARE Select.
2. BRAC Recommendations input
3. Commission on Guard and Reserve
4. Hope at Home Act – HR 558
5. Veteran’s Disability Benefits Commission
6. Write/e-mail Congress
Details:
1. Legislative Goals/Issues:
a. Reduced Retirement provisions: Many have asked what happened to this provision. The short answer, nothing has happened. It is still in several bills in Congress. S.337 & HR 558 are two bills that address this issue. Congress has chosen not to address this issue in the FY 06 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). So, the issue will not be in this year’s bills. All Guard and Reserve Associations signed on to support this issue. We visited and briefed staffs on the issue. If you write and contact your Congressional delegation, the issue will come back up, but will most likely not get passed by this Congress.
b. TRICARE Reserve Select: This issue was in the FY 06 House Defense Authorization Bill, but was stripped out due to a technical matter. Senator Graham (SC) intends on offering this provision in an amendment when the FY 06 Senate Defense Authorization Bill comes to the floor of the Senate. The timing of when the Senate NDAA bill will come to the floor is unknown at this time. We urge you to write your Senators on making this provision a permanent provision. Several improvements to TRICARE Reserve Select will be made; however, the provision of making this a permanent benefit is needed for our Guard and Reserve members.
2. BRAC Recommendations. There is time to make your position known on the BRAC recommendations. Several Reserve components are concerned about a number of the actions suggested. As we have provided before, if the offices do not hear from you – they assume you have nothing to say about the issues. We presented our thoughts on Navy Reserve BRAC matters in the July issue of our monthly magazine. If you are negatively impacted, then write or e-mail. Your comments can make a difference:
a. Write or email to the BRAC Commissioners (all of them);
2005 Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission
2521 S. Clark St., Ste. 600
Arlington, VA 22202
3. Commission on Guard and Reserve. This is still stalled due to politics of selecting commissioners. The House has nominated RADM (Ret) Stanton Thompson and LTC (Ret) Donald Stockton as commissioners. As previously report DoD has made their picks and has the space and staff ready to go. So the ball is in the court of Senator John Warner to submit the Senate’s two commissioners. We need to continue efforts to let him know its time to stop cutting bait. ACT Now on this issue, Reserve component issues will get addressed by this commission.
4. Hope at Home ACT – HR 838. This bill would allow employers a credit against income tax for members of the National Guard and Reserve. The legislation also would allow a comparable credit for participating self-employed individuals. Increased full-time responsibility for call up and added training demands are placing pressures on some reservists to reconsider their commitment to voluntary service. Incentives are needed to offer employers tangible support for the inconveniences often associated with having Reserve and Guard employees.
5. The Veterans’ Disability Benefits Commission. This commission which was authorized in 2003, finally started work. It has to report to Congress by August 2006. The purpose of the Commission is to study and report on the standards for determining disability/survivor benefits and the level of compensation for such benefits. There has not been a review of the veteran’s disability system since 1956. Commission Chair is Lt. Gen. James T. Scott, USA-Ret. The following web site can provide you more information on the commission
6. E-mail or write your opinions on these issues to your Senators and Congressman, IF they do not hear from you they assume you have no issue with what they decide!
a. For your Senators: then select your state. Each Senator has a link to send them an e-mail, this is the most effective way to contact them at this time.
b. For your House of Representative members: then put in your zip code, and the link will take you to correct site.
See the below list of Congressional Members & Professional Staff Members that work the issues important to you, and do not forget to contact the Appropriations committees
Senate Armed Services: Senate Appropriations - Defense
Chair: John Warner Chair: Ted Stevens
SR 228 Russell SD-119 Dirksen
Washington, DC 20510-0650 Washington, DC 20510
Ranking Member: Carl Levin Ranking Member: Daniel Inouye
SR 228 Russell SD-119 Dirksen
Washington, DC 20510-0650 Washington, DC 20510
Majority Staff Minority Staff
Judith Ansley Ms. Sid Ashworth
SR 228 Russell SD-119 Dirksen SOB
Washington, DC 20510 Washington, DC 20510
Fax: 202-228-0037 ph: 202-224-7255//fax
House Armed Services Committee House Armed Service – Manpower Subcommittee
Chair: Duncan Hunter (CA) Chair: John McHugh (NY)
Ranking Member: Ike Skelton (MO) Ranking Member: Vic Synder (AR)
Staff Director: Rob Rangel Staff Director: John Chapla
2120 Rayburn House Office Building 2120 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515 Washington, DC 20515
House Appropriations Defense Subcommittee: House Appropriations Full Committee
Chair: Jerry Lewis (CA) Chair: Jerry Lewis (CA)
Ranking Member: John Murtha (PA) Ranking Member: David Obey (WI)
PSM – Leslie Albright PSM – James Dyer - Staff Director
Room H-149 The Capitol Room H-218 The Capitol
Washington, DC 20515 Washington, DC 20515
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