Senator Gregg Makes Further Comment On Senate-Approved Language To Aid Military Families Included In Defense Conference Report

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Senator Gregg Makes Further Comment On Senate-Approved Language To Aid Military Families Included In Defense Conference Report

U.S. Senator Judd Gregg (R-NH) today made further comment on language included in the Fiscal Year 2008 National Defense Authorization conference report that protects and provides for military parents and their children. The three amendments authored by Gregg will collectively help safeguard the interests of military families when called up for deployment. The Senate passed the conference report late Friday, and it now heads to the President's desk for his signature.

"We all remember the situation and the difficulty that Lisa Hayes had when she was serving in the military and the custody of her daughter came into question and she was unable to protect her rights to custody because she was overseas. I thought this was a tremendous transgression and unfair to her and to other military people serving overseas, so I have been able to put language into the Defense Authorization bill which will ensure that no one who is overseas loses custody over their children.

"It will also require that if a person who is going to be shipped overseas and they are a single parent or, if there are two parents that are being shipped overseas and they have minor children, that they will have a right to put in for a deferment of that deployment until they can make sure that their children are adequately cared for.

"It is absolutely critical that our soldiers who are serving overseas are comfortable that their children, who are back here, are taken care of well and we have an obligation as the government to make sure that that happens. I am certainly glad that I have been able to put this language into the Defense Authorization Bill so that we can accomplish that."

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