Earl Pomeroy: “I hold this picture of Major Alan Johnson and his wife Victoria and their daughter Megan. Alan Johnson lost his life…”

“I hold this picture of Major Alan Johnson and his wife Victoria and their daughter Megan. Alan Johnson lost his life last January 26 in service to our country in Iraq. Major Johnson had served in the National Guard and the Army Reserve for 26 years. Additionally, he had a civilian job. He was still in the public sector. He was sergeant of the Corrections Department of Yakima County in the State of Washington, shift supervisor, one of the largest jails in the State of Washington. You can imagine how awful the surprise for Victoria Johnson, deep in her grief of losing her husband, to learn that his pension in the State of Washington was treated as though, on the day he left on his deployment, he quit work. They offered only return of the amounts he had paid into the pension plan. Now, if he had been an active Washington State employee, she would have received a lifetime annuity benefit. But the law didn't provide for that, and her circumstance has alerted us to a loophole that must be addressed. Legislation introduced by Congressman Doc Hastings and me, the HEROES Act, addresses this flaw in our law, a law that presently allows for reintegration of pension benefits for our returning soldiers. This will also mean that should they lose their life in service to our country during their deployment, they are treated as though their life was lost while a fully employed participant in the pension plan. This is desperately necessary.”