2003 Adopted Resolutions
71st Annual Meeting
Denver

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URGING SUPPORT FOR THE EQUITY FOR RESERVIST ACT

WHEREAS, currently there are over 212,000 National Guard men, women and Reservists who are serving on active duty, many of whom are serving bravely in Iraq and most are serving extended tours of duty for longer periods than they had expected; and

WHEREAS, the armed services increasingly rely on our Army, Navy and Air Force Reserves and our National Guard to achieve their ongoing missions; and

WHEREAS, the family income of National Guard men, women and Reservists is sometimes significantly reduced when they are called to active duty because their jobs and salaries are placed on hold and they begin receiving military pay which is less than their civilian pay; and

WHEREAS, family members left behind by National Guard men, women and Reservists who are called to activity duty are sometimes forced to work overtime, dip into savings, borrow, or even go on welfare to pay their bill; and

WHEREAS, bipartisan legislation has been introduced in Congress to support our National Guard men, women and Reservists and their families by helping them fill the pay gap when they are called to active duty in three ways:

  • For the 13% National Guard men, women and Reservists who, as civilians, work for the federal government, the difference in their military and civilian pay would be paid in full.
  • For the 20% of National Guard men, women and Reservists who work as police officers, firefighters or other state and local employees, state and local government employers would be given a strong incentive to maintain their civilian salaries when they are called to active duty through a cost-sharing formula. Under this formula, state and local governments would be reimbursed up to 50 percent of the difference between their civilian employees and military pay for the first 9 months and 100 percent after that;
  • For the 60% of National Guard men, women and Reservists who work for the private sector, their employers would be given a tax credit covering 50% of the compensation they provide; and

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that The United States Conference of Mayors urges Congress to enact the Equity for Reservists Act to support our National Guard men, women and Reservists and their families when they are called to active duty.