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Plans Would Help Families Communicate With Loves Ones Overseas; Provide Salary and Educational Protections & Benefits
Tuesday, March 25, 2003
The New York State Senate today approved a comprehensive plan that would make it easier for families to communicate with loved ones serving overseas, provide important salary protections for state employees serving in the military, and provide additional educational benefits to servicemen and women from New York State who are fighting the war in Iraq and the ongoing war against terrorism.
Senate Majority Leader Joseph L. Bruno said the plan to support our troops and their families includes bills the Senate introduced several weeks ago, as well as benefits the Senate initiated for servicemen and women involved in Operation Desert Storm in 1991 and for emergency personnel impacted by the attacks on September 11, 2001, along with proposals introduced recently by Governor Pataki.
"As we did during �Desert Storm� and following September 11th, the Senate is ready to assist New Yorkers who put themselves in harms way to fight for freedom," Senator Bruno said. "We want to do all we can to give peace of mind to our troops so they can focus on the enormous and dangerous challenges they face, and peace of mind to their families, knowing that they can communicate with their loved ones and that there are protections in place to help minimize financial and other types of disruptions that they must deal with."
Included in the Senate package are bills that would: help families stay in touch with loved ones by enabling them to use the video teleconferencing facilities at New York National Guard Armories to communicate with military personnel overseas, as well as providing assistance for mailing packages and lower cost telephone rates for military personnel; provide financial support through supplemental pay for state employees on active duty to make up any difference between military pay and their regular job salary; establish a college scholarship program for children, spouses and dependents of New York military personnel killed during the war on terror or against Iraq; and provide other important financial assistance and protections against discrimination, as proposed by Governor Pataki in his "Patriot Plan".
"We are a strong country. September 11th did not change that," Senator Michael A. L. Balboni (R-C, Mineola), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans, Homeland Security and Military Affairs, said. "We are still strong as a nation and as a people. The protection of our homeland is paramount. We need to support our troops who are serving to defend our freedoms. The courage of our servicemen and women should serve as an inspiration to all of us."
Governor George E. Pataki said: "I want to congratulate the Senate for acting quickly to pass the Patriot Plan legislation, which will provide important benefits and protections to New York�s courageous servicemen and women and their families. These heroic citizen soldiers make tremendous sacrifices to help defend freedom, and they deserve our profound gratitude and unwavering support."
The Senate will act today on legislation that includes the following:
STAYING IN TOUCH
> Direct the Division of Military and Naval Affairs to provide facilities for teleconferencing between New York residents in active military service and their families. (S.3289 - Sen. Larkin)
"It means so much to our soldiers to be able to make that connection back home and will give reassurance to their families while they wait for their return," Senator Bill Larkin (R-C, Cornwall-On-Hudson) said. "It is incredibly important for the servicemen and women, whether activated or in training, to know that they have the full support of all New Yorkers. This is one way to help keep those lines of communication open, to keep the troops� morale up, and let them know we�re behind them all the way."
> Direct the Division of Military and Naval Affairs to subsidize the mailing of one package per month from the family of a resident of New York on active duty to their family member on active duty. (S. 3285 - Sen. Golden)
"I am proud to join in support of this Senate Majority initiative that is designed to assist New York families who have sent a relative to fight and defend our nation�s democracy," Senator Martin Golden (R-C, Brooklyn) said. "The families here at home must have the ability to communicate and send packages to their loved ones without facing a tremendous expense. For the men and women of our armed forces, it will give them motivation and inspiration they need and deserve as they go forward in their quest to defend our freedoms."
> Directs the Division of Military and Naval Affairs, in cooperation with the Office of General Services, to negotiate bulk telephone service rates for residents of New York in military service. (S.3284 - Sen. Little )
"In this time of uncertainty, a phone conversation with someone from home is extraordinarily comforting and lifts the spirits of the men and women serving our country," Senator Elizabeth Little (R, Queensbury) said. "And, family members need to connect with their loved ones to be reassured of their well-being. As the mother of a navy pilot serving in the Persian Gulf, I know this firsthand and I�m pleased to sponsor this legislation making phone calls more affordable for our U.S. servicemen and women and their families."
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE AND PROTECTIONS
> Put into law, supplemental pay provisions for state employees on active duty that require the state to make up the difference between a person�s regular job and their military pay. This is currently done by a Memorandum of Understanding by the Governor�s Office of Employee Relations. (S.3286 - Sen. Robach)
"Our troops are making a tremendous sacrifice, leaving their country, their families, their jobs, all to defend our freedom," Senator Joseph Robach (R, Rochester), said. "They shouldn�t have to sacrifice their financial security and ability to provide for their families. This bill would put it into law that state employees on active duty will receive supplemental pay to make up the difference between their regular salary and their military pay to give peace of mind to our soldiers and their families."
> Require that members of the organized militia ordered into the active service of the State be paid by electronic fund transfer. (S.3288 - Sen. Leibell)
"This bill would permit members of the
National Guard under state activation to be paid by direct deposit," Senator Vincent Leibell (R-C, Patterson), said. "At this time, when many guard units may be activated to provide terrorism prevention and protection services, this bill is especially appropriate. We must stand behind our servicemen and women."
> Require the waiver of all professional continuing education requirements for persons ordered into active military service. (S. 3287 - Sen. Flanagan)
"The men and women who serve in our military forces fight everyday to protect the freedoms and liberties we cherish as Americans," Senator John J. Flanagan (R-C, Northport) said. "This legislation recognizes that we understand their efforts in defense of our nation and shows support for their patriotism and heroism."
In addition, the Senate will act on legislation (S.3283), sponsored by Senator Balboni, originally submitted by Governor Pataki, that, among other things, establishes combat veteran and war on terrorism scholarships for children, spouses and dependents of New York military personnel killed during the war on terrorism or during military action in Iraq; establishes an educational military leave of absence and tuition relief program which requires colleges and universities to provide a leave of absence to students called to active duty; and expands anti-discrimination protections against military personnel.
There are almost 4,000 National Guard troops from New York on State and federal active duty in New York in other parts of the US and overseas. Since Sept. 11, 2001, more than 14,000 members of the New York National Guard�s 17,000 troops have been called to active duty.
The bills were sent to the Assembly.
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