The Reserve Organization of America testifies before Congress as expert witnesses in support of specific national defense issues and as a part of the annual budget authorization and appropriations processes. ROA prepares testimony, answers questions, and provides information for the record.

118th Congress Testimony

June 12, 2024 - ROA testimony before the U.S. House Veterans Affairs Economic Opportunity Subcommittee on pending legislation.

ROA submitted a statement for the record on its views on pending legislation, including the Guard and Reserve GI Bill Parity Act of 2024.

May 6, 2024 - ROA testimony before the U.S. House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense in association with the reserve chiefs April 30 hearing on the FY 2025 defense budget.

ROA submitted a statement on its priorities for the FY 2025 defense budget to the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense.

ROA previously wrote the Subcommittee requesting this hearing be held.

March 29, 2024 - ROA testimony before the U.S. House and Senate Committees on Veterans Affairs on policy priorities for 2024.

ROA was asked to submit a written statement for the record on its veterans priorities for 2024 by the chairmen of the House and Senate committees on veterans affairs in association with the Veterans Service Organization hearings.

ROA was also invited to testify in person beginning in 2025.

March 20, 2024 - ROA testimony before the U.S. House Veterans Affairs Economic Opportunity Subcommittee on pending legislation.

ROA testified on the need to improve the Transition Assistance Program for reserve component service members and their families. 

Represented by legislation and military policy director Matthew Schwartzman, ROA detailed its five step Delivering Reservist Integration and Veterans Education plan, also known as the DRIVE plan.

“ROA’s DRIVE plan, if adopted by Congress, would drive forward much needed reforms by increasing access to component-focused counseling and resources while simultaneously providing reserve affiliated participants with additional flexibilities in navigating their respective TAP track.”

- Matthew Schwartzman

March 14, 2024 - ROA testimony for U.S. Senate Committee on Finance on the president's proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2025 for the Department of Health and Human Services.

ROA submitted a statement for the record urging the leaders and members of the Senate committee on finance to ensure $28 million in funding is included in HHS' FY 2025 budget to sustain the U.S. Public Health Service Ready Reserve Corps.

June 14, 2023 - ROA testimony before the U.S. House Veterans Affairs Economic Opportunity Subcommittee on pending legislation.

ROA testified on the need to e nsure reserve component service members and military spouses are afforded effective employment and reemployment protections. 

Represented by legislation and military policy director Matthew Schwartzman, ROA urged congressional support for H.R.3943, the Servicemember Employment Protection Act.

“ROA is a strong supporter of H.R.3943. ROA supports the legislation as currently written, but also would support a few minor amendments to ensure its enforceability.”

- Matthew Schwartzman

March 9, 2023 - ROA testimony  before the U.S. House Veterans Affairs Economic Opportunity Subcommittee on examining the future of workforce protections for service members.

ROA's testimony was frank and unflattering of the Department of Labor's Veterans Employment and Training Service.

Represented by retired Air Force Col. Gilbert Patton, ROA urged support for improving the enforceability of important employment and reemployment protections afforded to Reserve and National Guard service members.

“You get what you inspect; you get what you measure. And so, without proper inspection of DOL VETS’ capability to effectively execute the various provisions of USERRA law, we will not get a proper measure of USERRA.”

- Air Force Col. (Ret.) Gilbert Patton

February 24, 2023 - ROA official statement on public policy priorities for first session of 118th Congress.

Following months of internal deliberations and collaboration with strategic mission partners, including the Reserve Forces Policy Board and Air Force Reserve Council, ROA finalized its official statement on public policy priorities for the first session of the 118th Congress.

This comprehensive 38-page document contains more than 40 asks of Congress and important data in support of ROA's advocacy lines of effort.

"At its core, this portfolio seeks to break down the walls created by institutional biases to optimize the contributions to national security and readiness from our citizen warriors of all domains, their families, and employers."

- Army Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Jeffrey E. Phillips