71st OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--2001 Regular Session
 
NOTE:  Matter within  { +  braces and plus signs + } in an
amended section is new. Matter within  { -  braces and minus
signs - } is existing law to be omitted. New sections are within
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 LC 1304
 
                     Senate Joint Memorial 1
 
Printed pursuant to Senate Interim Rule 213.28 by order of the
  President of the Senate in conformance with presession filing
  rules, indicating neither advocacy nor opposition on the part
  of the President (at the request of Senator Gary George for
  G.L.  Chadwick)
 
 
                             SUMMARY
 
The following summary is not prepared by the sponsors of the
measure and is not a part of the body thereof subject to
consideration by the Legislative Assembly. It is an editor's
brief statement of the essential features of the measure as
introduced.
 
  Urges Congress of United States to provide lifetime health care
for retirees of United States military and spouses.
 
                         JOINT MEMORIAL
To the Senate and the House of Representatives of the United
  States of America, in Congress assembled:
  We, your memorialists, the Seventy-first Legislative Assembly
of the State of Oregon, in legislative session assembled,
respectfully represent as follows:
  Whereas retirees of the United States military who have served
their country honorably for more than 20 years constitute a
significant part of the aging population in the State of Oregon
and the United States; and
  Whereas the United States encouraged military retirees to make
careers of service in the Armed Forces of the United States in
part through the promise of free health care for their lives and
the lives of their spouses; and
  Whereas the United States Department of Defense stopped
providing a significant portion of health care services when
military retirees and their spouses reached the age of 65 years;
and
  Whereas the elimination of free medical services was the result
of legislation Congress passed in 1995, which requires military
retirees and their spouses to pay for medical services; and
  Whereas the effort to bring fiscal responsibility to government
should not override the promises to or the needs of military
retirees who, in the twilight of their years, now rely on us as
we relied on them in our nation's times of need; and
  Whereas military retirees deserve the same dedication from
their country that military retirees gave to preserve all
citizens' freedom and way of life; and
  Whereas the nation should resume providing promised health care
services to military retirees and their spouses, who have earned
the nation's lasting gratitude; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the Legislative Assembly of the State of
  Oregon:
 
  (1) We call upon the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America to enact comprehensive legislation to
maintain the nation's commitment to military retirees and their
spouses by providing free health care for the lives of retirees
and their spouses and by enacting legislation to enable uniformed
service beneficiaries who are eligible for Medicare to benefit
from the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program on the same
terms and conditions that apply to federal employees.
  (2) A copy of this memorial shall be sent to the Senate
Majority Leader, the Speaker of the House of Representatives and
to each member of the Oregon Congressional Delegation.
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