OFFICIALS LEGISLATION INTEREST GROUPS PUBLIC STATEMENTS COMMITTEES VETOES

Department of Defense Program Guidance Modification Relating to Post-Deployment/Mobilization Respite Absence Administrative Absence Days

Floor Speech

Date: May 15, 2012
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Defense Military Personnel

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Ms. McCOLLUM. Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 4045. This bill will ensure that all the servicemembers returning from overseas, including the Minnesota National Guard's Red Bulls, will receive the full benefits they were promised.

Last year, after more than 2,000 of Minnesota's brave soldiers had already been mobilized for war, the Department of Defense reduced the amount of leave that the servicemembers would receive.

For the Pentagon to apply this change to soldiers already deployed is simply unacceptable. Our men and women in uniform must be able to count on the benefits their Nation promised them when they left home.

H.R. 4045 will correct this serious error by exempting servicemembers, like the Red Bulls, who had already deployed before the Pentagon's policy shift.

Passage of this bill is a victory for the entire Minnesota delegation, which worked so hard on it. I especially want to thank Mr. Kline for his perseverance on this issue and for getting it to the floor today. Thank you very much, Mr. Kline.

But, as I said, I applaud all my colleagues for coming together on behalf of the Minnesota Red Bulls and all of the servicemembers and their families. America's men and women in uniform dedicate their lives to defending our Nation and its values, and we are grateful for their outstanding service.

As a daughter of a World War II disabled veteran of the Army Air Corps and as a member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Affairs, it is a special honor to work on behalf of those who have served our country and to make sure that they receive every benefit that they've earned.

As the Red Bulls return to Minnesota from another deployment, they know they can count on their entire Minnesota congressional delegation to have their back.

I urge my colleagues to support this critical legislation.

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