WASHINGTON — A bipartisan group of lawmakers met Wednesday to introduce a piece of legislation allowing National Guard and Reserve members to receive full-time health care benefits.

The legislation, the Guard and Reserve Readiness and Retention Act of 2005, would allow guardsmen and reservists to receive full-time health coverage under the military health care system, Tricare.

A Government Accountability Office report in April 2003 found that 40 percent of Midwestern Guard and Reserve soldiers are uninsured.

Lt. Col. Gregory Hapgood, public affairs officer for the Iowa National Guard, said many Iowa soldiers are not insured because of employment circumstances.

“There are a number of traditional guardsmen who are self-employed and may not be in the position to get employment health care,” he said. “This is a way to show appreciation for the work they do for our country.”

The National Guard and Reserve’s lack of health care was generated by their status after the end of the Cold War as a part-time service organization. Because the conflict in Iraq is drawing on unprecedented numbers of Guard and Reserve members since World War II, legislators say they deserve to be protected as full-time members.

Rep. Tom Latham, R-Iowa, said in a press conference Wednesday that this bill is a matter of showing those serving the United States appreciation for the sacrifices they make.

“This is a matter of simple fairness,” he said. “There are real problems for these families. This is an extraordinarily important piece of legislation that I am proud to be working on.”

Legislation in the past two years on this issue, like the National Guard and Reserve Fairness Act of 2004 introduced by Rep. Earl Pomeroy, D-N.D., has yet to be as inclusive as the 2005 version, said Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y.

“This is the next step on this road we have been traveling together,” Clinton said of the legislation.

“We have heard countless stories about strain being placed on our guard and reserve forces. This legislation is needed now more than ever.”

Under the bill’s provisions, additional years of service can also help a member move their retirement age forward. After 20 years, the retirement age for a soldier is reduced by one year for every two years of service.

The cost of better health care for soldiers will be about $7 billion over the next five years, but Clinton said money is not an issue.

“A billion a year of taxpayer money will be happily spent,” she said. “It is a very sensible approach budgetarily.”

Latham said he believes the issue will be settled very soon in the upcoming session.

“We are hopeful to bring this to a conclusion very early on,” he said.

Hapgood said he agrees the time has come for the issue to settle and thinks the public will be supportive as well.

“Certainly timing means a great deal,” he said. “Now is an excellent time to talk about it. The American people are seeing firsthand the need for this kind of initiative.”