I 

111TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1222 

To provide benefits under the Post-Deployment/Mobilization Respite Absence 

program for certain periods before the implementation of the program. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

FEBRUARY 26, 2009 

Mr. BRALEY of Iowa (for himself, Mr. KLINE of Minnesota, Mr. BOSWELL, 

Mr. LOEBSACK, Mr. LATHAM, Mr. KING of Iowa, Mr. OBERSTAR, Ms. 

MCCOLLUM, Mr. WALZ, Mr. FORTENBERRY, and Mr. PAULSEN) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed 

Services 

A BILL 

To provide benefits under the Post-Deployment/Mobilization 

Respite Absence program for certain periods before the 

implementation of the program. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Guaranteed Benefits 

5 for Our Troops Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. BENEFITS UNDER POST-DEPLOYMENT/MOBILIZA2 TION RESPITE ABSENCE PROGRAM FOR CER3 TAIN PERIODS BEFORE IMPLEMENTATION OF 

4 PROGRAM. 

5 (a) IN GENERAL.—Under regulations prescribed by 

6 the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary concerned shall 

7 provide any member or former member of the Armed 

8 Forces with the benefits specified in subsection (b) if the 

9 member or former member would, on any day during the 

10 period beginning on January 19, 2007, and ending on the 

11 date of the implementation of the Post-Deployment/Mobi12 lization Respite Absence (PDMRA) program by the Sec13 retary concerned, have qualified for a day of administra14 tive absence under the Post-Deployment/Mobilization Res15 pite Absence program had the program been in effect dur16 ing such period. 

17 (b) BENEFITS.—The benefits specified in this sub18 section are the following: 

19 (1) In the case of an individual who is a former 

20 member of the Armed Forces at the time of the pro21 vision of benefits under this section, payment of an 

22 amount not to exceed $200 for each day the indi23 vidual would have qualified for a day of administra24 tive absence as described in subsection (a) during 

25 the period specified in that subsection. 


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1 (2) In the case of an individual who is a mem2 ber of the Armed Forces at the time of the provision 

3 of benefits under this section, either one day of ad4 ministrative absence or payment of an amount not 

5 to exceed $200, as selected by the Secretary con6 cerned, for each day the individual would have quali7 fied for a day of administrative absence as described 

8 in subsection (a) during the period specified in that 

9 subsection. 

10 (c) EXCLUSION OF CERTAIN FORMER MEMBERS.— 

11 A former member of the Armed Forces is not eligible 

12 under this section for the benefits specified in subsection 

13 (b)(1) if the former member was discharged or released 

14 from the Armed Forces under other than honorable condi15 tions. 

16 (d) MAXIMUM NUMBER OF DAYS OF BENEFITS.— 

17 Not more than 40 days of benefits may be provided to 

18 a member or former member of the Armed Forces under 

19 this section. 

20 (e) FORM OF PAYMENT.—The paid benefits 

21 providable under subsection (b) may be paid in a lump 

22 sum or installments, at the election of the Secretary con23 cerned. 

24 (f) CONSTRUCTION WITH OTHER PAY AND LEAVE.— 

25 The benefits provided a member or former member of the 


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1 Armed Forces under this section are in addition to any 

2 other pay, absence, or leave provided by law. 

3 (g) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

4 (1) The term ‘‘Post-Deployment/Mobilization 

5 Respite Absence program’’ means the program of a 

6 military department to provide days of administra7 tive absence not chargeable against available leave to 

8 certain deployed or mobilized members of the Armed 

9 Forces in order to assist such members in reinte10 grating into civilian life after deployment or mobili11 zation. 

12 (2) The term ‘‘Secretary concerned’’ has the 

13 meaning given that term in section 101(5) of title 

14 37, United States Code. 

15 (h) TERMINATION.— 

16 (1) IN GENERAL.—The authority to provide 

17 benefits under this section shall expire on the date 

18 that is one year after the date of the enactment of 

19 this Act. 

20 (2) CONSTRUCTION.—Expiration under this 

21 subsection of the authority to provide benefits under 

22 this section shall not affect the utilization of any day 

23 of administrative absence provided a member of the 

24 Armed Forces under subsection (b)(2), or the pay25 ment of any payment authorized a member or 


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1 former member of the Armed Forces under sub2 section (b), before the expiration of the authority in 

3 this section. 

Æ 


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