Miller-Meeks & Luria Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Strengthen Ready Reserve Corps
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, May 7th, 2021, Reps. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (IA-02) and Elaine Luria (VA-02), both veterans and members of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, introduced the Public Health Service Ready Reserve Improvement Act. This bipartisan legislation grants members of the Ready Reserve Corps the same status as reservists from the other uniformed services for the purposes of dual employment and leave for reserve service, allowing Federal civilian employees to concurrently serve in the Ready Reserve Corps of the U.S. Public Health Service.
“The COVID-19 pandemic showed us that we need to have as many qualified personnel as possible available to serve during a pandemic or public health emergency,” said Miller-Meeks. “I served in the Army Reserve and recognize we should provide all reservists with the flexibility to concurrently serve our communities as civilian employees and reservists. As a Co-Chair of the Pandemic Preparedness Caucus, I am proud to introduce this commonsense and bipartisan legislation to prepare for future emergencies.”
“One of the many lessons of the COVID-19 pandemic is that we need to be able to surge medical personnel to at-risk communities to mitigate public health emergencies,” said Luria. “Allowing federal employees to serve in the Ready Reserve Corps in the same way they can serve in the National Guard will help us retain and attract medical experts to the Ready Reserve Corps and ensure that we have the personnel necessary to combat future outbreaks.”
Background:
This bipartisan legislation, with no cost to taxpayers, would amend the Public Health Service Act to entitle Members of the Ready Reserve Corps of the Public Health Service to certain rights and benefits that are provided for members of the Army Reserve.
The Ready Reserve Corps of the U.S. Public Health Service was created in 2020 as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. This group of commissioned officers promotes, protects, and advances the health and safety of the United States in clinical care positions. This allows the United States to maintain a surge capacity of health professionals available for deployment without jeopardizing the service of clinicians in hard to fill roles.
