An Illinois congressman is looking to set up a national program to help military families, following the example set by an Illinois program.

The Military Family Relief Fund, sustained by contributions made by Illinoisans on their state income tax forms, provides grants to the families of guardsmen and reservists who suffer financial hardships due to a call-up to active duty. The guard or reserve member must leave his or her regular job, which often pays more than the military – sometimes quite a bit more, leaving families sometimes unable to meet basic expenses.

U.S. Rep. Bill Foster (D-Geneva) has introduced a bill to set up a national fund like this. He says military families across the nation need help, and all Americans should have a chance to contribute. He declined to suggest what a taxpayer's contribution should be.

Foster says he does not expect any opposition to his measure in Congress, since it is funded by voluntary contributions, but he says there is a lot of good legislation that is stuck in "a logjam" in Washington. He wants to get it done this year so it’ll be on next year’s tax forms.

The Illinois fund, established in 2003, has dispensed 11,176 grants totaling $6.2 million. This year, 10,868 taxpayers contributed to the fund on their tax returns, giving $172,556, making this the largest among the list of check-offs on Illinois tax forms. The fund currently has $640,557 in it, says Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn.

Contributions to the Illinois fund do increase a taxpayer’s tax bill or reduce his or her refund, and the same would be true if a federal fund is established under Foster’s proposal.