Senators McManus, Allen, Goschka and Toy offered the following concurrent resolution:

            Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 15.

            A concurrent resolution to memorialize the United States Congress to enact legislation to lower the age for retirement eligibility for members of the United States Armed Forces Reserve.

            Whereas, Congress needs to revise the retirement contract between Reservists and the federal government.  During the Cold War, Reservists played a pivotal role in countering Soviet threats to pour through the Fulda Gap, cross the German plains, and conquer the Western democracies.  At that time in history, Reservists received 2 weeks annual training in addition to monthly drills.  With the collapse of the Soviet menace, the function of Reservists has grown more important.  With active duty forces having been reduced by 40 percent within the past decade, Reservist mobilizations have increased to the point that they provide between 12 and 13 million man-days per year; and

            Whereas, Active duty and Reservists component forces have merged into a continuum of services.  Since there is increasingly less distinction separating the two, there should be a greater parity of benefits between the forces.  For example, while active duty members can retire after twenty years of qualifying services regardless of age, qualifying Reservists are not eligible for retirement pay until age 60; and

            Whereas, The number of Reservists ordered to active duty in Operation Iraqi Freedom exceeds 212,000. These mobilizations underscore the fact that the United States can no longer go to war or even adequately defend the homeland without Reservists playing a prominent role; now, therefore, be it

            Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring), That we memorialize the United States Congress to enact legislation allowing members of the United States Armed Forces Reserves who have more than 20 years of qualifying service to be eligible for retirement pay at age 50; and be it further

            Resolved, That copies of this concurrent resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and the members of the Michigan congressional delegation.

R 0111 '03