Mitch Landrieu: “this amendment would go a long way to send the right message to our guardsmen and reservists. Over 370,000 have been…”

“this amendment would go a long way to send the right message to our guardsmen and reservists. Over 370,000 have been activated since September 11 and the attack on this city and our Nation. As we know, it has been made painfully aware to us that many of these guardsmen and reservists who serve take a cut in pay because they leave their jobs, they close their businesses to temporarily serve us. This amendment will give their employers, and themselves if they are an employer, the opportunity to write off 50 percent of the cost of their salaries so those salaries can be maintained while they are protecting and serving us. It is the least we can do. The other side is going to say they will get to it later. Let's get to it today. Let's not let this tax bill pass without honoring the Guard and Reserves and giving them a chance to keep their businesses open while they keep us safe.”