As war grinds on, lawmakers rally for improved reservist benefits

As the war in Iraq marches into its second week, Republicans and Democrats are lining up behind bills to improve the life and health of the increasing number of National Guard and reservists now fighting on the front lines.

More than 25 bills have been introduced-and the number grows daily-dealing with everything from ensuring healthcare benefits, providing tax and tuition breaks and making up lost pay when they leave their regular jobs to answer Uncle Sam's call.

The Senate could vote as early as today on a tax relief bill for the men and women serving in the U.S. military both here and abroad-including the National Guard and the Army Reserve.

Sponsored by Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and ranking member Max Baucus, D-Mont., the bill would, among other things, provide tax deductions for overnight travel expenses of National Guard and reservists heading for weekend drills. Last week, the House approved a tax benefit package for U.S. troops-sponsored by Ways and Means Chairman Bill Thomas, R-Calif.-that included a similar provision.

Rep. Tom Lantos, D-Calif., and Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Ill., have introduced a measure requiring federal agencies to pay their employees called up by the Guard and Reserve the difference between their civilian and military wages while on active duty.

John Goheen of the National Guard Association said the proliferation of bills benefiting military reservists shows "a Congress that is very interested in reaching out to the Guard and doing what it can to ease the sacrifices [that they're making]."

One of the NGA's priorities is providing health care for part-time members, many of whom lack such coverage, said Goheen, NGA's director of communications. A General Accounting Office study showed that more than 20 percent of the Reserve force lacks health insurance, he said, adding that the percentage is 40 percent among younger members, some of whom are students or those holding down their first job.

"It's a medical readiness issue," Gosheen told CongressDaily. It is important that they "be healthy and ready to go" when called up, he said.

Earlier this week, Sen. Blanche Lincoln, D-Ark., urged her colleagues to reduce the president's proposed tax cut by $20.3 billion to pay for health coverage for military reservists and their families. Lincoln's amendment, which was brought up during a Senate budget debate Tuesday failed on a party line vote.

Lincoln's amendment would have allowed Guard and Reserve families to enroll in TRICARE, the military health care program, at any time, regardless of whether the reservist is activated. Currently, they cannot enroll unless activated for at least 30 days.

Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., has introduced a bill to ensure the continuity of health care coverage for the families of Reserve and National Guard members who lose their work-based health insurance because of being called up to active duty. Under his measure, the federal government-through the COBRA program-would pay the cost of premiums not covered by employers.

"When reservists and members of the National Guard are called to active duty in time of international crisis, they are asked to put their lives for their country," Kennedy said when introducing the bill. "The least we can do for these brave men and women is to help their families at home by assuring they receive quality health care without interruption during their absence."

While activated members of the National Guard and Reserve can now enroll in the military's TRICARE program after 30 days, their families may not have any coverage during the first month because employers are not required to continue coverage, Kennedy noted. And if their family doctor doesn't participate in TRICARE, they must find a new physician.

In addition to healthcare issues, many of the bills deal with improving tax benefits for military reservists, whose numbers are growing. There are currently 216,811 National Guard and Army Reserve members on active duty, the Defense Department reported Wednesday.

Several House lawmakers have introduced bills calling for tax credits for employers who pay workers who are members of the National Guard or reservists while they serve their country.

There are also several bills providing education breaks. A bill by Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., would require colleges to grant a reservist a leave of absence and a tuition reimbursement or credit while he or she is on active duty. Rep. Martin Frost , D-Texas, is sponsoring a similar bill in the House. There are also bills deferring student loans and interest payments while reservists are fighting the war in Iraq offered by Reps. John Kline, R-Minn., and Timothy Ryan, D-Ohio.

Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., co-chairman of the Senate National Guard Caucus, plans to take a comprehensive approach in dealing with the issues facing National Guard and reservists, a spokesman said.

Leahy wants to guarantee reservists and their families affordable health insurance, help reservists make up for lost income, ensure students maintain their educational status during active duty and help local communities affected by call-ups.

While there is plenty of support for the many bills benefiting the National Guard and reservists, it still comes down to money. And at a time when the Defense Department is facing rapidly escalating personnel costs as well as ambitious plans for transforming the military, supporters worry the bills could come under fire. Still, they said doing more to improve the life of reservists could be a much cheaper way to increase the country's military power.