vocates
Leaders in legislation Neal presented Sens. Richard Burr (R-N.C.), Ben Nelson (D-Neb.), and Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.) and Rep. John Carter (R-Texas) the Col. Arthur T. Marix Congressional Leadership Award. Marix, who served in the Ma- rine Corps, founded MOAA in 1929. Nelson, former chair of the Sen-
ate Armed Services Personnel Sub- committee, championed manpower increases, pay-raise upgrades, health care protections, and wounded-war- rior-benefits improvements. Calling his service a privilege, Nel-
son said, “Every day I wanted to work to make sure that our members of the military are accorded the respect that they deserve. As an organization, you are fierce advocates for what you be- lieve, and we share those views. I am proud of what we have been able to do together because of your advocacy.”
Lincoln, whose grandfather and
father served in the Army, was hon- ored for her leadership as a sponsor of a range of legislation that secured necessary improvements in reserve- component and survivor benefits. Lincoln praised MOAA for its good
work. “In partnership with you all, we have made great strides on behalf of our servicemen and -women and their families, but ... our job is not over.” Burr was awarded for his role
in winning enactment of the Mili- tary Spouse Residency Relief Act (MSRRA), which offers residency, voting, and tax protections for spouses on military-ordered moves. “It made tremendous sense to me in time of war, multiple theaters, [and] constant deployments,” Burr said, “that the one thing that we could do for [military] spouses ... is to give them the comfort of claiming somewhere as home.”
Col. Arthur T. Marix Congres- sional Leadership Award recipients are (from left) Sens. Richard Burr (R-N.C.), Ben Nelson (D-Neb.), and Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.) and Rep. John Carter (R-Texas).
Carter, the initial sponsor of the
MSRRA, led with determination until he saw the act through to victo- ry in the House. “Common sense says [military families] should be able to stay together as a family for their residency, voting, and paying taxes,” said Carter. “To me, when it makes common sense, that’s something we ought to try to do.”
A distinguished group TriWest Healthcare Alliance, Our Military Kids Inc., and the Pease Greeters each received the Distin- guished Service Award.
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