For Immediate Release Tuesday, January 25, 2005

Contact Information Jameson Cunningham (202) 225-8171 (o) 202-288-2147 (c)

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Weekly Press Briefing -- Jan. 14, 2005

House Resolution 214 -- Congressman McCotter is an original cosponsor of HR-214, which authorizes Health and Human Services to create grants to nonprofit tax-exempt organizations for the purchase of ultrasound equipment to provide free examinations for pregnant women. Congressman Cliff Stearns (R-Fl) is the sponsor of this legislation.

Commemorative Coins -- Congressman McCotter is cosponsoring HR-68, which is legislation authorizing the minting of commemorative coins in honor of the 50th anniversary of the creation of National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the Jet Propulsion Lab (JPL). Congressmen John Culberson (R-Texas), Gene Green (D-Houston), Adam Schiff (D-Ca) and House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Texas) introduced the legislation in the 108th Congress and are making a renewed effort to get the legislation passed before 2008, which marks the 50th anniversary of NASA and the JPL.

Guard and Reserve Readiness and Retention Act -- Congressman McCotter is an original cosponsor of the Guard and Reserve Readiness and Retention Act, a two-part bill to improve benefits for over 300,000 Guard and Reserve members and their families to address these emerging recruitment and retention problems. Congressman Tom Latham (R-Iowa) is expected to introduce the legislation in February. It contains two sections:

Reserve Retirement Age is reduced from age 60 by one year for every 2 years served beyond 20 years of service. (Currently, only those reaching 60 years of age with 20 years of service are eligible for retirement benefits.) This would allow a minimum retirement age of 60 with 20 years of service, down to 53 if 34 years of service are completed.

All reservists may join TRICARE regardless of mobilization status, by paying monthly premiums. According to an April 2003 GAO report, 20 percent of Guardsmen and Reservists are uninsured, and as many as 40 percent are uninsured in Midwestern states.

Tsunami Relief: Congressman McCotter heads a list of state, local and federal officials supporting Miindia's tsunami relief fundraising efforts. Miindia is sponsoring an auction dinner, scheduled for Jan. 27 at Burton Manor in Livonia. The event will run from 6 to 9 p.m. For more information on the fundraising efforts, contact Anu Gopalakrishnan at 734-383-6116 or visit the Miindia Web site at miindia.com. I am attaching a copy of Miindia's press release announcing the event.

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