Statement Of Senator Patrick Leahy
Health Insurance For The National Guard And Reserves
July 17, 2003

Mr. President, I rise in strong support of the Daschle-Graham Amendment.  This amendment expresses the strong Sense of Congress that members of the Guard and Reserve should be made eligible for the TRICARE health insurance program.

I am the co-chair of the Senate’s National Guard Caucus, and I have watched closely as over 200,000 members of the Guard and the Reserves have been called to duty for the war in Iraq.  Our reservists have distinguished themselves in every respect, underscoring that our nation’s defense rests—as it has been since our founding—on our citizen soldiers.

We have a responsibility to ensure that this force is as effective as possible.  Yet a recent GAO report indicated that almost 20 percent of our reserves do not have access to adequate health insurance.  This means that we are deploying men and women to fight when they are not as healthy as possible.

This resolution makes the strong statement in support of a cost-share program that ensures that reservists and their families have coverage.  It puts the body’s weight behind the strong report language in this bill and follows on the Senate’s 85 to 10 vote during our consideration of the Defense Authorization Bill in favor of this innovative cost-share program. 

The defense conferees are currently reviewing this provision, based on legislation I crafted along with Senators DeWine, Daschle, and Smith, and a strong vote today would send a signal that a final bill should include health insurance eligibility.  

I urge all my colleagues to vote again to support this effort.  I yield the floor.  Thank you.

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