Governor Gregoire Touts Measures for Veterans

For Immediate Release: January 22, 2007

Urges passage of bills to provide shared leave pool for state employees called up for duty, creation of state veterans cemetery in eastern Washington

OLYMPIA � Governor Chris Gregoire today urged quick passage of legislation to build a state veterans cemetery in eastern Washington and a separate measure that will set up a shared leave pool for state employees to donate leave time to fellow employees called up for active duty in the military.

�During this time of war, it�s important to remember the sacrifice that so many of our service members and their families are making right now,� said Governor Gregoire. �These measures show our service members and veterans how much we appreciate their sacrifices.�

For the 140,000 veterans living in eastern Washington, the closest national cemetery is located 280 miles away from Spokane, in Kent. Advocates for veterans have been calling for the federal Veterans Administration to build a cemetery in eastern Washington for years; however, a national cemetery can only be built if the veteran population in the region meets federal requirements. When the Washington Department of Veterans Affairs determined it was unlikely the federal government would build a national cemetery due to the population requirements, the state began looking at establishing a state veterans� cemetery.

Under Governor Gregoire�s proposal, the federal Veterans Administration would provide grant funding for 100 percent of design, construction and equipment costs. The state would provide the land for the cemetery and be responsible for operation and maintenance.

Governor Gregoire�s shared leave legislation would create a Uniformed Services Shared Leave Pool for state employees through which state employees could donate leave to their co-workers who have been called up for military service. Currently, when a state employee has a serious illness and runs out of leave time, fellow state employees can donate some of their leave.

�Serving overseas is not just an emotional strain, but for many families a financial strain as well,� said Governor Gregoire. �For the service members who are state employees, many take a pay cut when they get called up to active duty and risk losing health insurance for their spouses and children. This legislation would soften the blow of being deployed for military service.�

The prime sponsors of the shared leave legislation are Senator Steve Hobbs, a veteran of the wars in Kosovo and Iraq, and Representative Larry Seaquist, a 32-year Navy veteran.

Governor Gregoire and First Mike, with representatives from Comcast, also unveiled a public service announcement encouraging Washington businesses to hire veterans. Comcast filmed and produced the spot featuring First Mike, a Vietnam veteran.

�When I returned home from Vietnam, I had a tough time finding a job. Today, thousands of Washingtonians are serving their country, far from their friends and family,� said First Mike. �If someone who works for you is in the armed forces, you are required to have a job for them when they return and if you have an opening, I urge you to hire a veteran.�

###