For the 4th Time, Senate Passes Durbin Amedment Allowing Reservists who are Federal Employees to Receive Full Salary
'FOR 4th TIME, SENATE PASSES DURBIN AMENDMENT ALLOWING RESERVISTS WHO ARE FEDERAL EMPLOYEES TO RECEIVE FULL SALARY
For the fourth time in less than two-years, the Senate approved an amendment by U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) to ensure that federal employees in the National Guard and Reserves can avoid a loss of income when they are called to active military duty. Durbin's amendment was included in the FY' 06 Department of Defense Appropriations bill.
Previously, similar amendments were included in the Senate-passed April 2005 Supplemental Appropriations bill, the Senate version of the Defense Authorization bill last June, and in the Supplemental Appropriations bill passed by the Senate in October 2003. On all occasions, the Durbin amendment was stripped out of the legislation in a conference committee between the Senate and the House of Representatives.
"When the lights are on, the Senate continues to overwhelmingly support this bipartisan measure to guarantee that the federal government provides financial support to our reservists and their families," said Durbin. "Unfortunately, I have watched on three occasions as this important amendment went into the darkness of a conference committee and disappeared."
Durbin added, "Let's offer these men and women in uniform not only our thanks and our praise but the peace of mind that comes with knowing that their families are financially secure."
More than 120,000 federal employees currently serve as members of the Guard and Reserve; about 17,000 have been mobilized to active duty in Iraq, Afghanistan and other locations. While these soldiers receive pay for the time they are on active duty, the salary gap between military service and civilian employment can be considerable.
A number of employers throughout the country have acted to close the pay gap for men and women serving in the Reserves and Guard whose military pay is less than their normal civilian salary. In Illinois, Boeing Aerospace, State Farm Insurance, Sears, Roebuck & Company, the State of Illinois, the City of Chicago, and many other Illinois companies, city governments and county governments have established financial compensation plans for their employees called to serve.
"We praise private corporations, state and local governments for taking the necessary financial steps to help Guard and Reserve families," said Durbin. "Now, the federal government must do its part for those federal workers who are serving in the reserves and have been called to active duty in Iraq."
http://durbin.senate.gov/record.cfm?id=246670&&