WASHINGTON – The Senate passed the Reserve Officers Association Modernization Act of 2009 (S.1599) yesterday updating ROA’s congressional charter for the 21st century.
The bill, introduced in August by Senate Judiciary Committee chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and cosponsored by co-chairs of the United States Senate Reserve Caucus, Senators Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.) and Mark Pryor (D-Ar.), makes technical changes to ROA’s charter that bring it in line with the current ROA structure and leadership.
Senator Leahy said, “Since its founding in 1922, the Reserve Officers Association has worked on behalf of the National Guard and Reserves and their families. For over 85 years, ROA has remained committed to its original mission, to ‘support and promote the development and execution of a military policy for the United States that will provide adequate National security.’ It has provided a voice to the men and women that serve our country in the National Guard and Reserves. I am proud that the Senate has demonstrated its support by passing this legislation.”
The charter was originally signed by President Harry Truman 60 years ago and was last updated in 1998 by the House Judiciary Committee in a blanket update of Congressional charters for a number of military service organizations.
“I’d like to thank the Senate for their recognition of the invaluable role the Reserve and Guard play in today’s global conflicts and for working with ROA to ensure citizen warriors have access to more affordable health care, greater influence in the military and adequate training facilities and supplies,” said retired Rear Adm. Paul Kayye, ROA President. “Renewing ROA’s charter reinforces my confidence in our lawmakers to do right by our Reservists.”
ROA appreciates the support from the Judiciary Committee’s professional staff who helped expedite the bill through to the Senate floor and from Mr. Daniel Ginsburg, former staffer for Senator Leahy and now Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Manpower and Reserve Affairs.
The bill will now be sent to the House of Representatives where an identical bill (H.R. 3581) was introduced by Representatives. Howard Coble (R-NC), Chris Carney (D-PA) and Gary Miller (R-CA). Once it passes the House, it will be sent to the President for signature.
The Reserve Officers Association is the professional association for all uniformed services of the United States. Chartered by Congress and in existence since 1922, ROA advises and educates the Congress, the President and the American people on issues of national security, with unique expertise on Reserve issues. ROA advocates for adequate funding of equipment and training requirements, recruiting and retention incentives, and employment rights for all members of the Reserve.
Read the bill, S.1599 at http://www.thomas.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c111:S.1599:
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