A press release from U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar's office:

WASHINGTON -- With members of the National Guard representing nearly half of the soldiers scheduled to deploy to Iraq in the next six months, Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Barbara A. Mikulski (D-Md.) today led a bipartisan coalition of their colleagues to urge Department of Defense (DOD) Secretary Robert Gates to take personal responsibility for the nationwide implementation of reintegration initiatives for National Guard members and Reservists returning from combat. While President Bush continues to request billions of federal dollars for the war, his administration has yet to establish reintegration programs in every state for National Guard and Reserve personnel to assist their transition from combat to civilian life.

Neither the President’s fiscal year 2009 budget, nor the fiscal year 2008 emergency supplemental request, provided funding for the Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program, which was authorized as part of the fiscal year 2008 Defense Authorization bill (H.R. 4986). However, congressional Democrats fought to include $65.4 million to fully fund the program in the emergency supplemental signed into law in late June. This funding will support the 15 existing programs across the country, and provides a down payment to create programs in the remaining 35 states. This complicated process will need clarity and accountability from Secretary Gates to ensure National Guard members and Reservists returning from combat have the resources they deserve.

"This is about putting our nation’s heroes first,” said Senator Klobuchar. “Guard and Reserve members put their lives on hold to serve and then are asked to accept fewer benefits than their active duty counterparts. 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 all of our troops the resources they need both in the field and at home when they return. Our National Guard and Reserve 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.

"The Guard is treated like a stepchild when they fight abroad, and when they return. It is unacceptable that returning members of the Guard and Reserve don’t receive the same care as returning active duty Soldiers, even though we are asking them to make the same sacrifices,” said Senator Mikulski. “We know that the stress of combat and long deployments away from home can wreak havoc on our troops’ well-being and family life in the months after their return. The brave men and women in our Guard and Reserve have been fighting side-by-side with our active duty troops in Iraq and Afghanistan so that we may live in freedom – they deserve the same support from the government when they return to their civilian lives.”

The Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program, which establishes paid reintegration events at 30, 60 and 90-day intervals upon return, also provides counseling and support 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.

Senators signing the letter include: Max Baucus (D-Mont.), Robert P. Casey (D-Pa.), Norm Coleman (R-Minn.), Richard J. Durbin (D-Ill.), Russ Feingold (D-Wis.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.), John F. Kerry (D-Mass.), Mary L. Landrieu (D-La.), Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.), Bernie Sanders (D-Vt.), Gordon Smith (R-Ore.), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Jon Tester (D-Mont.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).