Bill(s) - HR 2929 (Introduced April 27, 2023; Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) and John Garamendi (D-CA))
Short Title - Fleet Reserve Association 100th Anniversary Act
Proposed Year of Issue - 2024
Purpose To mark the centennial of the Fleet Reserve Association (FRA) and to support its mission/objectives.
"The Congress finds the following:
(1) On November 11, 1924, the Fleet Reserve Association (FRA) was founded by Navy Chief Yeoman George L. Carlin and chartered in 1924 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. FRA was born out of the need for an organization to protect the pay and benefits of enlisted Sea Service members and their families.
(2) The Fleet Reserve Association (FRA) is a congressionally chartered, non-profit organization that represents the interests of the Sea Service community. Although the association was originally named for the Navy's Fleet Reserve program, membership in FRA is open to all current and former sailors, marines, and Coast Guard personnel.
(3) In 1930, FRA-proposed legislation was enacted that authorizes a death gratuity benefit of six months basic pay to the estates of recalled Fleet Reservists who subsequently die on active duty.
(4) In 1932, FRA was successful in exempting enlisted personnel from Great Depression-era pay cuts that deferred pay for Federal employees by 8 to 20 percent.
(5) In 1934, FRA regained two-thirds of the 15 percent pay cut authorized in the Economy Act of 1933. The remaining 5 percent was restored in 1935.
(6) In 1935, FRA was successful in obtaining eligibility for Navy retirees and Fleet Reservists to receive emergency care in veterans' hospitals in areas where military facilities were not available.
(7) In 1937, FRA helped advance legislation that authorized commissary privileges for military widows.
(8) In 1946, FRA was successful in establishing equity in disability compensation for disabled peacetime veterans with their wartime counterparts.
(9) In 1950, FRA first proposed legislation to provide a survivor benefit program as part of the military retirement system.
(10) In 1972, FRA played a major role in the enactment of the Widow's Equity bill, the precursor of today's Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) and FRA sponsored the Navy's first Sailors of the Year competition, a tradition that continues today.
(11) In 1985, FRA became a founding member of The Military Coalition when laws threatened to significantly cut military retired pay. The FRA is one of 12 military and veterans organizations that banded together to reverse the potential loss of 22.5 percent in cost-of-living adjustments (COLA) over a seven-year period.
(12) In 1986, FRA played a key role in restoring full cost-of-living adjustments (COLA) for military retirees.
(13) In 1996, FRA became federally chartered as part of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1997 (Public Law 104-201).
(14) In 2002, the Bob Stump National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2003 (Public Law 107-314) authorized combat-related special compensation (CRSC) for disabled uniformed services retirees wounded in combat, which FRA acknowledged as a significant first step toward full concurrent receipt of military retired pay and Department of Veterans Affairs disability compensation.
(15) In 2009, the FRA Education Foundation was launched in conjunction with FRA's 85th anniversary.
(16) In 2013, FRA successfully defeated efforts to reduce future cost-of-living adjustments (COLA) for military retirees by blocking implementation of the chained consumer price index (CPI) in lieu of the current consumer price index (CPI).
(17) November 11, 2024, will mark the 100th anniversary of the Fleet Reserve Association."
Coins - Up to 50,000 Gold $5 coins
- Up to 400,000 Silver $1 coins
- Up to 750,000 Clad Copper-Nickel $0.50 coins
Surcharges - $5 coin: $35
- $1 coin: $10
- $0.50 coin: $5
Sponsor/Beneficiary- The Fleet Reserve Association "for costs related to--
(1) promoting the importance of and caring for those who have served in uniform, ensuring they receive proper health care and disability benefits earned through military service;
(2) promoting the importance of, and caring for, those who are still serving in the Armed Forces;
(3) promoting the importance of maintaining the patriotic values, morals, culture, and citizenship of the United States; and
(4) promoting the importance of maintaining strong families, assistance for at-risk children, and activities that promote their healthy and wholesome development."
CommentsThis is one that I can support - an established, long-term US service organization with objectives and a mission that is important to the nation as a whole. I would happily support this organization with the purchase of its commemorative coins.
From the Fleet Reserve Association web site: The FRA fights "to preserve and enhance benefits and quality-of-life programs for active, reserve, retired and veterans of the Navy, Marines and Coast Guard, plus their families and survivors."
The FRA web site also lists the following on its "Legislative Agenda" page:
"Work to get Congress to enact legislation authorizing an FRA Commemorative Coin in recognition of the 100-year anniversary of the Association." The FRA will, no doubt, bring its formidable - and often successful - lobbying powers to bear in order to give its coin program the best chance of success. I wonder if it will be enough?
The FRA motto: Loyalty first - Protection assured - Service always. I believe the motto, in some form, would be part of the commemorative inscriptions placed on the Association's coins as it is one of the central tenets of the organization.
Likelihood of Passage?The House bill currently has just 1 co-sponsor.
- Per GovTrack: TBD (as of date of this post)
For other of my posts about commemorative coins and medals, including more Possible? commemorative coin stories, see:
Commems Collection.
Posted 07/05/2023 07:07 am
