FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 1, 2008
CONTACT: Matt Mackowiak
Sen. Hutchison Co-Sponsors Enhancement of Recruitment, Retention, and Readjustment through Education Act
Legislation, supported by Sen. McCain, Enhances the Existing G.I. Bill
WASHINGTON -- U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX), Texas’ senior senator, today announced that she has signed on as an original co-sponsor of the Enhancement of Recruitment, Retention, and Readjustment through Education Act introduced by Sens. John McCain (R-AZ), Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Richard Burr (R-NC).
The legislation would improve education benefits for service members, veterans, and members of the Guard and Reserve; help with successful recruitment; encourage continued service in the military; assist more military personnel to attend college debt-free; and aid career military personnel in providing for the education of their spouses or children.
“American servicemen and women deserve our greatest respect and support for their selfless dedication and sacrifice,” said Sen. Hutchison, Ranking Member on the Senate Military Construction Appropriations Subcommittee and a member of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee. “Improvements in the G.I. Bill, particularly immediate increases in education benefits and significant increases in benefits for members of the National Guard and Reserves, are critical and long overdue.”
The Enhancement of Recruitment, Retention, and Readjustment through Education Act provides an immediate increase in education benefits for active duty personnel to $1500 a month to improve retention, those benefits increase to $2000 a month after 12 or more years of service.
The legislation will significantly expand benefits for members of the National Guard and Reserves, and allow for the ability of service members to transfer their education benefits to dependents. It also allows service members to use up to $6,000 per year of Montgomery G.I. Bill education benefits to repay Federal student loans. Up to an additional $3,000 per year could be paid by the Department of Veterans Affairs in return for the school retiring some or all of the service member’s debt.
It will also provide access to Montgomery G.I. Bill benefits for service academy graduates and Senior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps officers who continue serving. Finally, the bill builds an existing educational benefits program to ensure rapid implementation with minimal additional administrative costs.
--END--
|
