1.1                             A resolution
  1.2             urging the United States Congress to amend the 
  1.3             Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act. 
  1.4      
  1.5      WHEREAS, numerous railroad employees have served their 
  1.6   country honorably and well in various branches of the armed 
  1.7   forces for periods in excess of 20 years; and 
  1.8      WHEREAS, these military veterans receive military 
  1.9   retirement pay as partial compensation for their long military 
  1.10  service; and 
  1.11     WHEREAS, if these veterans work for nonmilitary employers 
  1.12  they can become eligible for state unemployment benefits in case 
  1.13  of layoff and for workers' compensation in case of injury; and 
  1.14     WHEREAS, the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act (United 
  1.15  States Code, title 45, section 354(a-1)(ii)) prohibits payment 
  1.16  of railroad unemployment benefits or railroad sickness benefits 
  1.17  to otherwise eligible railroad employees who are receiving 
  1.18  military retirement pay for 20 years or more of military 
  1.19  service; NOW, THEREFORE, 
  1.20     BE IT RESOLVED by the Legislature of the State of Minnesota 
  1.21  that it petitions the United States Congress to promptly amend 
  1.22  the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act to allow railroad 
  1.23  employees collecting military retirement pay to also be eligible 
  1.24  for railroad unemployment and sickness benefits if they 
  2.1   otherwise meet the qualifications of these benefit programs. 
  2.2      BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of State of the 
  2.3   State of Minnesota is directed to prepare copies of this 
  2.4   memorial and transmit them to the President of the United 
  2.5   States, the President and the Secretary of the United States 
  2.6   Senate, the Speaker and the Clerk of the United States House of 
  2.7   Representatives, and Minnesota's Senators and Representatives in 
  2.8   Congress.