1.1A resolution1.2urging payment of the Federal Respite Leave Benefit for members of the 1st of the 1.334th Brigade of the Minnesota National Guard who served in Iraq during the Troop 1.4Surge of 2007.1.5WHEREAS, various units of the  Minnesota's National Guard have served honorably in 1.6multiple worldwide peacekeeping and combat deployments before and since September 11, 1.72001; and 1.8WHEREAS, the order for deployment of the 1st of the 34th Infantry Brigade of the 1.9Minnesota National Guard ordered the members of the Brigade into federal active military service 1.10under Title 10 U.S.C. for a period of 18 months; and 1.11WHEREAS, approximately 2,700 members of the 1st of the 34th Brigade who were 1.12deployed for the Operation Iraqi Freedom during 2007 had their deployment extended by the 1.13United States Department of Defense up to an additional four months in response to the troop 1.14surge in Iraq by Presidential order; and 1.15WHEREAS, as a result of that Presidential order, the United States Government through its 1.16Department of Defense promised to pay a respite leave benefit to each of those soldiers valued at 1.17approximately $200 per day; and 1.18WHEREAS, for 2,513 of those 1st of the 34th Brigade soldiers, this benefit has yet to be 1.19paid by the United States Government; and1.20WHEREAS, the cumulative benefit owed these soldiers for this benefit is approximately 1.21$10,000,000; and2.1WHEREAS, the United States Congress enacted legislation on  October 28, 2009, 2.2authorizing the service secretaries to implement the respite leave benefit program for those 2.3deserving service members; and2.4WHEREAS, the current economic and employment situation facing all veterans returning 2.5to the United States is the worst recession since the Great Depression; and2.6WHEREAS, in order to return all the way home, the veterans of the 1st of the 34th Brigade 2.7deserve and need the benefits promised to them by the United States Government; NOW, 2.8THEREFORE,2.9BE IT RESOLVED by the Legislature of the State of Minnesota that it urges President 2.10Obama to order the Secretary of Defense and other responsible federal government officials to 2.11promptly issue implementation guidance that will allow our Minnesota service members to submit 2.12their claims to receive these benefits that they have been officially promised by the United States 2.13Government and which they so honorably earned in combat. 2.14 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of State of the State of Minnesota is 2.15directed to prepare copies of this memorial and transmit them to President Obama, Minnesota's 2.16Senators and Representatives in Congress, the Secretary of Defense, and the Chairman of the 2.17Joint Chiefs of Staff.