Recognizing and commending the continuing dedication and commitment of employers of the members of the National Guard and the other reserve components who have been mobilized during the Global War on Terrorism and in defense of the United States.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding time to me.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to show my appreciation for the National Guard, the Reserves and their employers. This resolution, H. Res. 302, recognizes those employers who accommodate the 1.1 million members of National Guard and other Reserve components. They make it possible for our country to be protected and defended by our patriot volunteers.

This resolution acknowledges all employers from the small-town family business to the public sector that have

provided a stable job to more than 460,000 members of the National Guard and Reserves who have been called to duty since September 11, 2001. These employers have provided our Reservists security in payment, health care and benefits.

Reservists have been called up to serve in great numbers in order to assist with natural disaster relief on the homeland or in support for the global war on terror in Afghanistan and Iraq.

I am proud to say that my district is home to recipients of the Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award. This award was created to recognize employers who have provided exceptional support to Reservists.

One recipient of the Employer Support Freedom Award, Enterprise Rent- a-Car, has locations throughout my district from Pleasanton to Stockton and my hometown of Tracy. Enterprise received recognition for extending full salary and benefits for the entire length of mobilization, regardless of how much they receive in military pay.

I would also like to mention the sacrifice of Give Every Child a Chance, a nonprofit located in Manteca, California. One of their employees, Oscar, is a military policeman in the Army Reserves. Oscar has served his country in Iraq and in Egypt for a total of 16 months. While Oscar was serving in Egypt, they temporarily replaced him with existing staff. They wrote to me that ``While it was a very chaotic month, we knew that when we hired Oscar he had a commitment to serve our country, and we accepted that commitment as part of our dedication to the United States of America.''

National Guard members and members of Reserve Forces comprise about 46 percent of our total available military manpower. With such a significant proportion of our Nation's defense dependent upon those who maintain careers in addition to their military service, a cooperative relationship between servicemen and -women and their employers is indispensable.

The support for a healthy relationship has been prevalent from the United States Chamber of Commerce and the local chambers throughout my district. I would like to commend the Department of Defense, specifically the employers' support of the Guard and Reserve, for their cooperation with civilian employees.

Other strong supporters include SBC Communications, Incorporated, and veterans groups like the American Legion.

Our Guard, Reserves and their families sacrifice a great deal in the defense of our country. Please join me in recognizing their employers by supporting the passage of H. Res. 302.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to show my appreciation for the National Guard, the Reserves, and their employers, This resolution, H. Res. 302, recognizes those employers who accommodate the 1.1 million members of the National Guard and other reserve components. They make it possible for our country to be protected and defended by our patriot volunteers.

This resolution acknowledges all employers--from the small-town family business to the public sector--that have provided a stable job to more than 460,000 members of the National Guard and Reserves who have been

called to duty since September 11, 2001. These employers have provided our reservists security in payment, healthcare and benefits.

Reservists have been called up to serve in great numbers in order to assist with natural disaster relief on the homeland or in support for the global war on terror in Afghanistan and Iraq.

I am proud to say my district is home to recipients of the Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award. This award was created to recognize employers who provide exceptional support to reservists.

One recipient of the Employer Support Freedom Award, Enterprise Rent- a-Car has locations throughout my district from Pleasanton to Stockton and my hometown of Tracy. Enterprise received recognition for extending full salary and benefits for the entire length of mobilization-- regardless of how much they receive in military pay.

I would also like to mention the sacrifice of Give Every Child a Chance, a non-profit located in Manteca, California. One of their employees, Oscar, is a military policeman in the Army Reserves. Oscar has served his country in Iraq and then in Egypt for a total of 16 months. While Oscar was serving in Egypt, they temporarily replaced him with existing staff. They wrote to me that, ``[while] it was a very chaotic month, we knew when we hired Oscar he had a commitment to serve our country, and we accepted that commitment as part of our dedication to the United States of America.''

National Guard members and members of Reserve forces comprise about 46 percent of our total available military manpower. With such a significant proportion of our Nation's defense dependent upon those who maintain careers in addition to their military service, a cooperative relationship between service men and women and employers is indispensable.

This support for a healthy relationship has been prevalent from the United States Chamber of Commerce, and local Chambers throughout my district. I would like to commend the Department of Defense, specifically the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve for their cooperation with civilian employers.

Other strong supporters include SBC Communications, Inc. and veterans groups like the American Legion.

Some employers in California's Eleventh Congressional District giving benefits to reservists are: A.G. Edwards & Sons, Inc, Albertson's, Allstate, Bank of America, Best Buy, Cingular Wireless, Citigroup, Contra Costa County, County of Santa Clara, Dow Chemical Company, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Exxon Mobil, Federal Express, Harley Davidson, Home Depot, Lockheed Martin, McDonald's Corp., National Park Service, (Contra Costa County) Office of the Sheriff, Oracle, PG&E Corp., Safeway, SBC Communications Inc., Sears & Roebuck, UPS, State of California, Staples, Sybase, Inc., Target, TGI Friday's, TJ Maxx, U.S. Postal Service, and Verizon.

Additionally, the resolution has received strong support from: U.S. Chamber of Commerce, American Legion of California, Brentwood Chamber of Commerce, Brentwood VFW Post 10789, Dublin Chamber of Commerce, Pleasanton Chamber of Commerce, Lodi Chamber of Commerce, Manteca Chamber of Commerce, Morgan Hill Chamber of Commerce, San Ramon Chamber of Commerce, Stockton Chamber of Commerce, Air Force Sergeants Association, Association of the United States Army, Tino Adame Commander Karl Ross Post, 16, Give Every Child A Chance, American Legion, John Butler CTCS USN (retired), Commissioned Officers Association of the U.S. Public Health Service, Fleet Reserve Association, The Enlisted Association of the National Guard of the United States, PG&E, General Mills, and SBC Communications, Inc.

I would request that a list of more businesses and public entities recognized by the U.S. Chamber and ESGR be included in the Congressional Record.

Our Guard, Reserves and their families sacrifice a great deal in the defense of our country. Please join me in recognizing their employers by supporting passage of H. Res. 302.

The Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award was instituted in 1996 by Secretary of Defense William Perry under the auspices of the National Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR). The award was created to publicly recognize American employers who provide exceptional support to their employees who voluntarily serve the nation in the National Guard and Reserve.

The 2005 Recipients are:

Alticor, Inc., formerly Amway, provides exceptional support that includes pay differential and continuation of benefits for up to one year when an employee is mobilized.

Citizens Financial Group is a catalyst for employer support within its many Rhode Island communities. With an expanded military leave and benefit program, which includes pay differential and extension of benefits for up to one year, Citizens grants up to five consecutive days of paid leave when a spouse, domestic partner of child is activated for military service.

Eaton is a diversified industrial manufacturer that continues to provide full pay and benefits to their employees who are mobilized for the duration of their service. This is in addition to their compensation that is received from the military.

Enterprise Rent-A-Car's connection to the U.S. military goes all the way back to Jack Taylor, who in 1957 founded the company and named it after one of the U.S. Navy aircraft carriers he served aboard as a naval aviator--the U.S.S. Enterprise. Enterprise shows its true loyalty to its employees who serve in the Guard and Reserve by extending full salary, regardless of military compensation, and benefits for the entire length of mobilization.

IDACORP is a leading northwest employer that provides full benefits and pay differential for the entire duration of military service. IDACORP has also funded extensive family outreach programs in communities of Idaho, Washington, and Oregon when massive mobilizations have occurred. This funding provides for a $250.00 travel voucher for over 3,000 activated National Guard members.

The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) has a long a proud history of supporting its employees who serve in the National Guard and Reserve. The LAPD provides pay differential and continuation of benefits for the length of mobilization. Mobilized employees also continue to receive service credit, accumulated annual vacation and tenure for the duration of their military service.

The Louisiana Department of Safety and Corrections (LDSC) is the first Louisiana state agency to achieve ESGR five star status as a supportive employer of its employees who serve in the National Guard and Reserve.

Pioneer Financial Services, Inc. is a very strong supporter of its employees who serve in the National Guard and Reserve. Pioneer's proactive support includes providing salary differential and benefits for up to two years, paying bonuses in advance of mobilization to assist with financial needs, and assigning a family support coordinator for the employees' families to assist with any issues that may arise during mobilization.

Ryland Homes is an advocate for service in the National Guard and Reserve and demonstrates this patriotic corporate culture by providing full benefits, to include life, health and dental insurance, and pay differential for one year.

Sears Roebuck, and Co. has a long legacy of providing support to its employees who serve in the military dating from 1916. Sears is a long- time advocate of military service, and provides pay differential and continued human resource benefits for its mobilized employees. Sears has led numerous initiatives that demonstrate its commitment to military personnel and family members, including a partnership with the National Military Family Association (NMFA).

South Dakota State University's enthusiasm, patriotism, and support for its National Guard and Reserve employees and students is outstanding. By providing differential pay for its employees and student academic progression support, SDSU leads the way in maintaining its 140-year-old legacy of providing support to members of the armed forces. SDSU provides pay differential for the length of deployment, and also provides employees 40 hours of paid personal leave for preparation of a deployment.

The State of Delaware has enacted legislation that provides deployed servicemembers with differential pay, including continued health, dental and insurance benefits for its mobilized or recalled military employees.

Toyota employees who serve in the National Guard and Reserve are provided pay differential, continuation of benefits, and the use or replacement of an employee special-lease vehicle for activated Guardsmen and Reservists and their families while deployed. In 2004, Toyota Motor Sales launched its Hire*A*Hero program, an initiative to foster career opportunities for military personnel transitioning back to civilian life. In addition, Toyota received agreement from 1,422 Toyota and Lexus dealers from across America to provide support above and beyond the requirements of the ESGR 5 Star Statement of Support program to their employees who serve in the National Guard and Reserve.

USAA continues to show great care and concern for their National Guard and Reserve employees and their families. Employees who are mobilized receive pay differential and continuation of benefits for up to 2 years. USAA has initiated a variety of military support programs, including Operation Keep in Touch, which was designed to keep deployed employees connected to their coworkers. USAA also provides its activated Guard and Reserve employees with a Deployment Preparedness Kit, which contains a comprehensive guide to assist military members with their leave of absence.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution and commend my colleagues from Texas and California for offering the resolution today.

Mr. Speaker, I am sure there is not one of us in the House of Representatives that has not been impacted by one of our Guard and Reserve units being called up and mobilized in regards to the operations ongoing in Iraq and Afghanistan. All of us are terribly proud of the tremendous sacrifice and courage and service that has been exhibited by our Guard and Reserve units throughout the country.

Recently, I had a chance to return to Iraq for my third trip in country. It is invaluable experience in getting a firsthand account in regards to the ongoing operations, the progress that is being made, what is working and perhaps, more importantly, what is not working. The time that we were able to spend with our troops on the ground is time well spent because they do tend to tell us like it is, what is working, what is not, what we need to improve upon in regards to the policy of what is taking place.

But having gone to Iraq now on three separate occasions, I can honestly state that nothing has made me prouder to be an American than seeing our troops in uniform there performing their duties. They are so well-trained, so well-motivated. They are, in short, the best our Nation has to offer.

Yet, their service to our country would be made much more difficult if they did not receive the support from back home, first and foremost from their families and loved ones, who also have to endure extreme sacrifice and hardship by allowing them to serve for extended periods of time overseas, typically 1 year boots-on-the-ground in theater like Iraq today. But there is another component to this, another entity that oftentimes gets overlooked, and that is what this resolution today speaks to.

It is the countless employers out there that have to, by law, a law that Congress has passed, allow them to serve our country while keeping their jobs open and safe back home. It is one of those items that people tend not to think too much about, but it does go to alleviate a lot of the concerns that our serving Guard and Reserve units have, and that is maintaining financial security for the families back home and knowing that when they do return from serving our country there will be a position for them at their place of employment.

In Wisconsin, we have had two companies last year that were recognized for their outstanding service to the Guard and Reserve employees that they have. One is Harley Davidson. The other was Schneider Trucking, located up in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Every year there is a process to try to recognize some of these companies throughout the country that are going above and beyond in regards to their support for Guard and Reserve units, and we commend them here today with this resolution.

In the congressional district that I represent in western Wisconsin, Mr. Speaker, we have had numerous National Guard units who have been called up. This past week we have the 700-member 128th Infantry Guard, who are returning home from their 1 year tour in Iraq, and there is no more happy occasion to attend than the reunion ceremony of those troops when they step off the plane, being reunited with their families for the very first time in a long time.

Beyond the 128th, we are hoping to be able to welcome home soon the 1158th Transportation Guard unit in western Wisconsin, hopefully within the next few weeks. We have also had the 32nd, the 229th, the 652nd, the 829th Engineering Guard units who were called up, gone through their training, deployed and served admirably over in Iraq.

Again, when they come home they face periods of transition, some difficult, some not so difficult, but the one thing that they should not have to worry about is knowing that there is a job for them remaining, that they gave up in order to serve our country. That is why I think this resolution commending their employers is very important today.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to my good friend from Illinois (Mr. Davis).

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I am sure my colleagues are aware that back in 1994 we did pass the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act, which is to protect the National Guard and Reservists and others called up to serve their country. It requires that employers hold jobs for employees when serving abroad, as well as retain some basic benefits for them.

I am also sure my colleagues are aware that many companies have stepped up and gone above and beyond the call of duty. In fact, a recently released GAO report acknowledged that many of the employers exceed the minimum requirements set forth in law. For example, more than 26 percent of the selected Reservists are receiving their salaries or differential pay, 32 percent get medical benefits not required by the law, and 30 percent get some other benefit above and beyond the legal requirements. I commend those companies that see the necessity to step up and make that extra effort to alleviate a lot of the concern that our Guard and Reserve units have.

I have two companies in my congressional district in western Wisconsin in particular that I would like to recognize: Ashley Furniture, which is a large furniture manufacturing company that has many Guard and Reservists employed. They have stepped up by offering the differential pay to those Guard and Reservists, as well as Mathy Construction, who is doing the same exact thing.

Our good friend and colleague, the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos), has offered H.R. 838 that I would

like to recognize on the floor today. This is a differential pay legislation that would require the Federal Government to pick up the pay difference that the Guard and Reservists are receiving as active military compared to what they would have normally received, and it offers tax incentives to reimburse the companies who are doing this on their own. I think it is worthy legislation, worthy of our support.

Finally, I would like to point out there is one segment of employment that has been particularly hard hit by the call-up of our Guard and Reserves, and that is the first responder units in our congressional districts. Many of the Guard and Reserve units are coming from first responders, whether it is the police or sheriff departments, fire departments, in short, our civilian warriors. They seem to be particularly hard-pressed during these trying times by allowing their workers to go and serve our country.

That has had an impact on the services they are able to provide, because they are giving up some of the most qualified and hard-working employees to do these services for us back in our congressional districts. So I just want to point that out during the resolution discussion today.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. In closing, I want to again thank my colleagues from California and the gentleman on our committee from Texas for offering this resolution. I encourage our colleagues to adopt it.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 302) recognizing and commending the continuing dedication and commitment of employers of the members of the National Guard and the other reserve components who have been mobilized during the Global War on Terrorism and in defense of the United States, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on H. Res. 302.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume, and I rise in strong support of H. Res. 302.

Mr. Speaker, since September 11, 2001, we have been a changed nation. The horrific events of that day in New York, in our Nation's capital and over the skies of Pennsylvania changed us as a people that day. We became a nation at war, and the defense of our homeland became of top priority.

Our uniformed young men and women answered the call, but in addition to these soldiers, sailors, Marines, airmen and corpsmen, more than 460,000 members of the National Guard and other Reservists have been mobilized for active duty over the last 2 years. Their sacrifice and assistance has been essential in our fight for freedom.

Now it is important to remember that it is not only on foreign soil or in defense of our Nation against terrorism that we have all benefited from the sacrifice of these men and women. Just weeks ago, as we all saw when natural disasters devastated our gulf coast region, Reserve personnel and National Guard components were at the forefront of relief and rescue efforts.

While each of us benefits from the sacrifice of these men and women called to service, it is sometimes too easy to forget the contribution made by behind-the-scenes heroes, that is, the employers and business owners, many of whom are small businesses who employ these Guardsmen and Reservists.

I am sure that each of us has heard in our towns and communities, the businesses who employ Guard and Reserve have gone above and beyond what is required to support our troops and ensure that their jobs are waiting for them when they return. As we honor the service of our men and women, also we should commend the patriotism and effort of all those who provide them their living.

I would also take this opportunity to commend the Department of Defense for bringing its Reserve civilian employer information database online this year. This system represents the culmination of a year-long effort to establish a Department of Defense-wide system to capture and understand who employs the 1.2 million members of the seven Reserve components. I would urge the Department of Defense to continue to develop this system and other long-term strategies so that we can maintain the historic level of support between the department and the employers of our Reservists.

Mr. Speaker, at the end of this week we will honor our Nation's veterans. As we do so, it is equally fitting to honor our Nation's Armed Forces and Reserves as we do today. I commend those on the homefront who have given so much in their support.

I thank my colleague for sponsoring this resolution and ask my colleagues that it be adopted.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to my great friend from California (Mr. Pombo), the chairman of the Resources Committee.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Delaware (Mr. Castle), my good friend from the Education Committee.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his comments. He is right on target. Our guys are doing a great job out there, and most of them are civilian warriors.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Michigan (Mrs. Miller), whose husband was Air Force active and later in the Guard, so she has some knowledge of this subject.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to my good friend from Connecticut (Mr. Shays).

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I just want to say that we need to really recognize our guys that are fighting for this country. The Reserve and the Guard are a major part of the effort today.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, I offer a motion to instruct conferees.

Mr. Speaker, I will not take more than 3. I simply would like

to, as a courtesy to the House, explain the motion.

For the last 2 weeks, the attention of the House has been focused on the efforts of the majority party to pass its reconciliation bill, which includes significant cuts in food stamps, in child support enforcement, in disability payments in order to pay for the tax cuts which this Congress has already largely passed. The problem that we have with that is that this bill, in effect, hits those same poor people a second time with cuts in education, health, worker protection programs that are in the bill.

The Senate appeared to give the persons interested in this bill some hope that those cuts could be avoided by adding a $3 billion financing gimmick to their proposal. But it is clear now that that provision is being discarded, and that means that the new caps that the Appropriations Committee adopted last week will eliminate the ability of the Senate to provide that extra $3 billion. That means that the only way that we can avoid that hit is to reduce the size of the tax cuts being provided to make room in the budget for some of these crucial items.

So this motion simply attempts to instruct the conferees to accept the Harkin amendment which would add $8 billion in order to pay fully for the flu pandemic work that needs to be done. It would instruct the conferees to add $3 billion to the low-income heating assistance program to take into account the huge increase in home energy prices that consumers will face this year, especially low-income consumers.

It would provide an additional $1.5 billion in programs that are meant to discourage abortion, programs such as a maternal and child health block grant, Head Start, domestic violence and numerous others, one-half billion dollars to restore health professions training, and $3 billion to put title I on a 5-year track to full funding under No Child Left Behind; $1.6 billion in additional funding for disabled and handicapped children trying to put that program on the same 5-year glide path; and one-half billion dollars in restoration for worker training and job training programs.

It would ask the conferees to support a provision which would reduce the size of the tax cuts for millionaires from an average of $140,000 to $36,000. That is still a pretty hefty cut.

Mr. Speaker, in essence, that is what the motion to instruct would provide. We are offering it because this is the last chance that this body has to reach a different set of judgments concerning budget priorities that affect the poorest and most defenseless people in this society.

Point of Order

Mr. Speaker, if one looks at the Budget Act, the purpose of the Budget Act was to force a Congress to get away from runaway spending and runaway deficits by forcing the Congress to confront trade-offs between spending and revenues. In fact, the Congress is being prevented from doing that and the Congress is being shielded from facing those explicit trade-offs unless amendments such as this are offered and debated fully in the House.

We recognize that funding for these programs under the budget resolution is being cut back in order to make room in that same budget resolution for the tax cuts that have been provided and to make room for further tax cuts which the majority party is talking about offering this week. If we cannot offer this kind of an amendment, then it would seem to me that the entire budget process has been intellectually corrupted and turned into a mere enforcement mechanism for majority party will rather than being used as a device to work out an explicit and forthright set of trade-offs.

I would urge the Chair to reject the point of order.

Mr. Speaker, most reluctantly, I do appeal the ruling of the Chair, not because I have any fault with the Chair, but because this is the only opportunity this institution will have to make a different set of priority choices.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman sincerely for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, nearly half a million Americans have served in our National Guard since the beginning of the war on terror. A half million fathers and mothers and brothers and sisters, a half million people so dedicated to protecting our Nation, protecting our families that they have sacrificed time with their own families. This is a half million people willing to confront America's enemies face to face.

Mr. Speaker, none of those great patriots would be able to serve our Nation without the incredible support and the sacrifice of those back home. For each man and woman deployed by the Guard, there is an employer who must operate without an employee. There is a company that must do business and meet its challenges without a member of its team. There is a boss who must get by without his full staff, even though he or she is faced with intense competition and unyielding deadlines.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to see our American businesses answering the call and serving their country by supporting our Guard. They are selflessly going about their business with a half million fewer workers, and they are doing so without complaint. They are setting an example for future generations by loyally holding those positions open at the same level of pay and with the same level of benefits for when our proud men and women, our Guardsmen return home. American employers are proving that their relationship with the National Guard is as strong and as important as ever. They are proving that the men and women who serve the United States proudly should be well served by our country.

My hometown of Harrison Township, Michigan, is also very proud to be the hometown of Selfridge Air National Guard Base. I have watched as literally thousands and thousands of National Guard members have deployed from Selfridge in defense of America, and I am proud to say that I have also seen countless Michigan employers ensure that Guard members are taken care of when they return home.

I strongly support House Resolution 302, because it is time we in the Congress, here in the House of Representatives, formally recognize the great work and the great sacrifice of American businesses, those who employ our Guard and Reserve members. Though they serve our Nation quietly and nobly, these companies deserve a profound and enthusiastic thank you from their government.

The men and women who have served and now serve our Nation in the Armed Forces make an incredible sacrifice, and this Veterans' Day week this resolution is especially appropriate in an important recognition that their friends and loved ones and their employers back home are sacrificing, too.