Thomas Daschle: “There has been a 700 percent increase in the utilization of Guard and Reserve in active-duty and law enforcement roles…”

“There has been a 700 percent increase in the utilization of Guard and Reserve in active-duty and law enforcement roles since September 11--700 percent. The dislocation caused by that new role has been remarkable in all of our States. We are asking them to be law enforcement officers. We are asking them to be soldiers. We are asking them to fight in wars. We are asking them to play a role they did not play before. The second number I ask my colleagues to remember is one-tenth of 1 percent. That is what the cost of this amendment would be, one-tenth of 1 percent of the Defense Department budget. We can afford one-tenth of 1 percent to say to all of those Guard and Reserve personnel: You are playing a role; you have never played a role before by seven times. Now we are going to give them the chance just to purchase health insurance.”