Sending Office: Honorable Tim Ryan
Sent By:
Zachary.Prager@mail.house.gov

Support Employers of Reservists and National Guardsmen

ENDORSEMENTS: IAVA, AMVETS, Fleet Reserve Association, Naval Enlisted Reserve Association, Reserve Officers Association and Marine Corps Reserve Association National Guard Association of the United States and Enlisted Association of the National Guard of the United States

** Supported by the National Guard and Reserve Caucus **

Current Cosponsors: Cole, Rose, Reschenthaler, Gabbard, Kilmer, Stivers, Hartzler, Phillips, Fitzpatrick, Ruppersberger, Harder, Kirkpatrick

Dear Colleague:

Employers have borne a heavy burden since 9/11 as our Reserve forces transitioned from a Strategic Reserve model to an Operational Reserve.  One weekend a month and two weeks a year has yielded to repeated mobilizations and long deployments.  Since 2001,
“the U.S. Army Reserve (USAR) has mobilized more than 280,000 soldiers, while the Army National Guard (ARNG) has mobilized almost twice that number, more than 525,000 soldiers.”[1]  An overlooked cost has fallen
on employers and colleagues, who frequently shoulder additional work.  As Co-Chairs of the National Guard and Reserve Caucus, we invite you to co-sponsor
H.R. 801, the Reserve Component Employer Incentive, Compensation, and Relief Act of 2019.  This will ease employers’ burden and incentivize hiring of Reservist and National Guardsmen.

A University of Minnesota study by Hubert H. Humphrey Fellows found that employers are patriotic and willing to accept substantial loads, but appropriate compensation will provide long overdue benefits.  H.R. 801 provides employers a tax credit for every
National Guardsman or Reservist employed, as well as a scalable benefit based on the number of days missed for uniformed service.   This mitigates the challenges faced by employers and coworkers when our Guardsmen are called to service and rewards employers
for hiring these heroes. 

The tax credit applies per Reservist employed and equals $1,000 plus an amount depending on day of service in uniform during the year:

• 30-89 days of service: $3,000
• 90-179 days of service: $5,000
• 180+ days of service: $10,000

After 17 years of underwriting the financial security of our Reserve Component, it is time to relieve at least some of the burden on employers of our Reservist and National Guardsmen.  To cosponsor, please contact Zach Prager (zachary.prager@mail.house.gov)
or Patrick Large (patrick.large@mail.house.gov).

Tim Ryan                                                                                Steven Palazzo
Member of Congress                                                              Member of Congress
Co-Chair, National Guard and Reserve Caucus                    Co-Chair, National Guard and Reserve Caucus

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