THE House of Representatives is expected to adopt today, Aug. 3, House Joint Resolution 22-9 to recognize and acknowledge the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, the Guam-CNMI State Committee and their volunteers.
The House will adopt the joint resolution ahead of ESGR Week, which will be observed from Aug. 16 to 20, 2021.
Authored by Rep. Vicente Camacho, who chairs the House Committee on Federal and Foreign Affairs, H.J.R. 22-9 commends the ESGR and the Guam-CNMI State Committee as well as their volunteer members for their exceptional service and commitment to the nation’s servicemen and women.
ESGR is a Department of Defense program established in 1972 to promote cooperation and understanding between Reserve Component Service members and their civilian employers, and to assist in the resolution of conflicts arising from an employee’s military commitment.
ESGR understands the unique talents and skill set that Guard and Reserve service members can bring to the workforce. To make this arrangement work, both parties must be aware of their rights and responsibilities under the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994 or USERRA.
Today, the Guam-CNMI State Committee for the ESGR serves more than 2,700 service members on Guam, Saipan, Tinian and Rota.
The joint resolution also noted that Reserve Component forces have been activated across the nation to assist ongoing efforts to respond to, mitigate and control the Covid-19 pandemic.
According to the joint resolution, “Private and public sector employers of Guardsmen and Reservists play a vital role in supporting our troops by ensuring that their service member employees are mission-ready and focused when called to duty. These employers make significant sacrifices on behalf of our nation, as guards and reserve members may be deployed at a moment’s notice and for months at a time, leaving their private and public employers without their valuable skills and services as they serve abroad.”
