Pregnant students are sometimes discriminated against by their schools, either intentionally or unintentionally and there is a concerning lack of awareness about the resources and rights available to them. Due to a lack of services and discrimination, these women may...
News
Latest News
Rubio, Colleagues Reintroduce Intelligence Community Workforce Agility Protection Act
Currently, intelligence community civilians are subject to certain tax penalties for job-related relocation requirements, but active-duty military servicemembers are not subjected to the same penalties. These tax benefits, including the ability to deduct moving...
Rubio Delivers Remarks at Senate Intelligence Hearing
Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Marco Rubio (R-FL) delivered opening remarks and questioned witnesses at a hearing on countering China’s influence in the United States. Watch Rubio’s opening remarks here as well as Part I and Part II of...
Rubio-led Resolution to Raise Awareness for Spinal Cord Injuries Passes Senate
Approximately 302,000 Americans live with spinal cord injuries. To help these people achieve a better quality of life, there is a need to increase education and invest in research. U.S. Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) successfully led a bipartisan...
Rubio, Warnock Reintroduce Protecting Sensitive Personal Data Act
Foreign investment is one of the legal means that adversaries, like China, can use to collect Americans’ data, exasperating both privacy and national security risks. To counter this, U.S. Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Raphael Warnock (D-GA) reintroduced the...
ICYMI: Rubio Joins Special Report
U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) joined Special Report with Bret Baier to discuss the impending government shutdown, the possibility of a Saudi-Israeli normalization deal, and the indictment of Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ). See below for highlights and watch the full...
Rubio, Warner, Colleagues Reintroduce Bill to Ensure Air America Employees Receive Earned Federal Retirement Benefits
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Mark Warner (D-VA) reintroduced the Air America Act of 2021, bipartisan and bicameral legislation that would provide Air America employees federal retirement credit they earned. The legislation, first introduced by Rubio and Warner in July 2020, is identical to an amendment that Rubio filed to the Fiscal Year 2020 National Defense Authorization Act, and continues the Senator’s support for these Americans.
“The brave men and women employed by Air America who conducted operations during the Cold War, Korean War, and Vietnam War were critical to U.S. efforts,” Rubio said. “I’m proud to partner with Senator Warner, and our colleagues, to ensure that these Americans receive the long-overdue honor and recognition they deserve.”
“I am proud to cosponsor this bill with Senator Rubio that will provide long-overdue recognition and retirement benefits to the brave men and women who flew for Air America,” Warner said. “Air Americans were instrumental to the U.S. war effort in Vietnam and Southeast Asia, courageously supporting troops, rescuing downed American pilots and sustaining casualties in the service of their country. Air America was on call until the very end of the war, including flying the last helicopters out of Saigon where they evacuated Vietnamese civilians and the U.S. Embassy. It is time they be honored with the recognition they deserve, and the grateful thanks of a nation.”
Joining Rubio and Warner as cosponsors of the legislation are Senators Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Patty Murray (D-WA), John Cornyn (R-TX), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Mike Braun (R-IN), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Bob Casey (D-PA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Tina Smith (D-NM), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Josh Hawley (R-MO), Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), Joe Manchin (D-WV), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Jon Tester (D-MT), Tom Cotton (R-AR), and Alex Padilla (D-CA).
Representative Glenn Grothman (R-WI) introduced similar legislation in the House of Representatives.
Background: Air America was a wholly government-owned and operated corporation that conducted operations during the Cold War, Korean War, and Vietnam War. Their employees worked under the direct policy guidance of the White House, Department of Defense, and the Department of State while under the management of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).
Air America employed several hundred U.S. citizens, mainly flight crew members, and approximately 286 were killed in the line of duty while conducting covert operations in designated war zones. The last helicopter mission that rescued personnel from the rooftops in Saigon in 1975 was planned and executed by Air America and the United States Marine Corps.
Since 2009, the declassification of CIA Agency documents confirmed that Air Americans were employees of the U.S. Government at the time of their service and entitled to federal retirement credit based on the circumstances of their employment. Congress has maintained its interest in resolving the retirement situation of Air American employees for more than 15 years. During this process, the Office of Personnel Management, the Merit Systems Protection Board, the CIA and the Director of National Intelligence have all concluded that congressional action is required.