HR0635 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0635 LRB097 13897 KXB 58477 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The State National Guard was established under Title 10 and Title 32 of the U.S. Code and serves as part of the first-line of defense for the United States; and

WHEREAS, The reserve components of the United States armed forces are military organizations whose members generally perform a minimum of 39 days of military duty per-year and who supplement the active duty military when necessary; and

WHEREAS, The purpose of each reserve component is to provide trained units and qualified persons available for active duty in the armed forces, in time of war or national emergency, and at such other times as the national security may require, to fill the needs of the armed forces whenever, and during and after the period needed to procure and train additional units and qualified persons to achieve the planned mobilization when more units and persons are needed than are in the regular components; and

WHEREAS, There are Guard and Reserve members who have served for 20 years of qualified service for retirement without being called for active duty service during their military career, and at age 60, they are eligible for reserved military retirement pay, government health care, and other benefits of service including some veterans' benefits, but due to current federal statute they are denied full standing as a "veteran" of the armed forces; and

WHEREAS, There are numerous Guard and Reserve members whose position is to train, prepare, and support the armed forces that are called to active duty, and these members are ready for deployment, but based on their assignment jobs are not called upon to be deployed; and

WHEREAS, These Guard and Reserve members have served and deserve the status of "veteran" of the armed forces; and

WHEREAS, S.491 and H.R. 1025, currently pending in the United States Congress, would authorize National Guard and Reserve members entitled to Reserves retirement pay the honor of claiming "Veteran of the Armed Forces of the United States" status; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we urge the United States Congress to pass S.491 and H.R. 1025 to provide National Guard and Reserve members entitled to Reserves retirement pay the honor of claiming veterans status; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be presented to the majority and minority leaders of the United States Senate, the Speaker and minority leader of the United States House of Representatives, and to each member of the Illinois Congressional delegation.