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Klobuchar Delivers on Promises Made for Reintegration of Returning Guardsmen

Emergency supplemental will include funding for reintegration programs for returning guard and reserve members

May 8, 2008

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar announced today that the Senate Appropriations Committee’s proposed emergency supplemental package will include $65.4 million to fully fund the Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program for National Guard members and reservists returning from combat.  Last year, Senator Klobuchar was a leader in the fight to pass the Defense Authorization amendment which created the Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program, based on the highly successful Beyond the Yellow Ribbon program of the Minnesota National Guard.

“This is about putting our nation’s heroes first,” said Senator Klobuchar.  “As Americans, we are all proud of the men and women who serve in our nation’s armed forces and risk their lives every day.  We must make sure that we give our troops the resources they need both in the field and at home when they return.  Minnesota’s National Guard, along with all Guard members and Reservists, continue to serve us all proudly both at home and abroad – these brave men and women are always there when we need them most and we must honor their sacrifice.”

Last month, Klobuchar joined with Senator Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) in leading a bipartisan coalition of Senators to include funding for the program.  Klobuchar and her colleagues fought to include the funding in the supplemental since neither the President’s fiscal year 2009 budget, nor emergency supplemental request, requested funding for the Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program, which was authorized as part of the fiscal year 2008 Defense Authorization bill (H.R. 4986). 

While President Bush’s supplemental request asks for billions of federal dollars for the war, his administration has not established a national reintegration program for National Guard and Reserve personnel to assist their transition from combat to civilian life.  It is estimated that $73 million is needed to fund the Yellow Ribbon program for fiscal year 2009.

The Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program, which establishes paid reintegration events at 30, 60 and 90-day intervals upon return, will also provide counseling and services for members and their families.  The program is especially crucial because, unlike active duty soldiers who live and work with their military units and have ready access to counseling and care, Guardsmen and Reservists are with their units only during their short post-deployment processing window.  After this point, it becomes increasingly challenging for them to access the services they need.

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