August 2017 Drill Weekend Talking Points
The Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2017
(S. 1598 and H.R. 3218)
During the week of July 24, the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee (HVAC) marked-up the H.R. 3218 and moved it favorably for floor consideration. H.R. 3218 passed the U.S. House of Representatives with a final vote of 405 to 0. Please click here to view the EANGUS National Office endorsement letter here. The Senate Veterans Affairs Committee (SVAC) marked-up S. 1598 on Wednesday, July 26 and passed it favorably out of committee by unanimous consent.
Highlights:
Section 101. Consideration of Certain Time Spent Receiving Medical Care from Secretary of Defense as Active Duty for Purposes of Eligibility for Post-9/11 Educational Assistance.
This section would add time spent on active duty under orders authorized by section 12301(h) of title 10, U.S.C., as qualifying time for the Post-9/11 GI Bill. These particular orders are used when a National Guardsman or Reservist is receiving medical care or is recovering from active duty injuries. In short, RC members on 12301(h) status, recovering from their injuries, will still be accruing Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits.
Section 102. Consolidation of Eligibility Tiers under Post-9/11 Educational Assistance Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
This section would authorize additional GI Bill funding for members of the National Guard and Reserve. This section would increase the amount of money/eligibility that individuals receive who serve at least 90 days but less than 6 months on active duty – it would increase from 40% to 50% benefit payable. It would also increase the amount of money/eligibility that individuals receive who serve at least 6 months but less than 12 months – it would increase from 50% to 60% benefit payable. For a student attending a private school, this would result in approximately $2300 more a year in tuition than they are receiving now and would receive more money for their housing allowance.
Section 103. Educational Assistance Under Post-9/11 Educational Assistance Program for Members of the Armed Forces Awarded the Purple Heart.
This section would extend full eligibility for the Post-9/11 GI Bill to any Purple Heart recipients since September 11, 2001. Please note that this provision is the exact language of H.R. 1379 (EANGUS Call to Action 2017-02)
Section 104. Eligibility for Post-9/11 Educational Assistance for Certain Members of Reserve Components of Armed Forces who Lost Entitlement to Educational Assistance under Reserve Educational Assistance Program.
This section would allow certain members of the Reserve component to transfer into the Post-9/11 GI Bill who lost educational assistance benefits when Congress repealed the Reserve Educational Assistant Program (REAP).
Section 107. Restoration of Entitlement to Post-9/11 Educational Assistance for Veterans Affected by Closures of Educational Institution.
This section would restore entitlement to individuals when their school closes in the middle of a semester. This section would also authorize additional living stipend payments to be paid to students whose school closes in the middle of the semester for no more than 4 months, or the length of the semester, where they were attending training.
Section 112. Monthly Stipend for Certain Members of the Reserve Components of the Armed Forces Receiving Post-9/11 Educational Assistance.
This section would require VA to pro-rate the GI Bill housing stipend provided to Reservists who get called up for active duty during the middle of a month. Current law prohibits them from pro-rating the stipend so if the reservist is on active duty orders for even one day of a month then they would lose the entire months’ worth of VA housing allowance.
Section 401. Eligibility of Reserve Component Members for Post 9/11 Educational Assistance.
This section would make individuals eligible for Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits who have served and who will serve on 12304, 12304(a) and 12304(b) orders. Any active duty service under these Reserve component orders since (i.e. retroactive for all RC Servicemembers ever on 12304b duty status) the enactment of the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008 would apply for such benefits going forward.
Note: This is another direct win for EANGUS. Members that attended the Legislative Workshop in February 2017 educated their Members of Congress on the benefits inequities associated with 12304b status. Please see the 2017 EANGUS Legislative Handout Here. Also, please click here to find the EANGUS letter of support for H.R. 1384, the Reserve Components Benefits Parity Act.
Section 402. Time Limitation for Training and Rehabilitation for Veterans with Service-Connected Disabilities.
This section would also make the 12304, 12304(a) and 12304(b) orders eligible for benefits under the Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment program in chapter 31 of title 38, U.S.C.
Fiscal Year 2018 National Defense Authorizations Act
(S. 1519 and H.R. 2810)
The U.S. Senate and House of representatives have been hard at work on considering the annual defense authorization bills. Similar to the Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act, EANGUS scored a number of wins in the NDAA. On July 14, the House of Representatives passed the FY18 NDAA by a vote of 344 to 81. On July 10, the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) marked-up the Senate’s version of the FY18 NDAA and passed it out of committee for floor consideration. The U.S. Senate is set to adjourn for August Recess before considering S. 1519. We will have to wait until September before they act.
Highlights:
EANGUS staff met with HASC professional staff during the spring of 2017 to educate members about the inequities associated with 12304b duty status. Following-up on conversations started by EANGUS members that participated in the 2017 Legislative Workshop in February paid off. Many HASC member offices were aware of the inequities and referenced the EANGUS talking points memo. Fortunately, H.R. 2810 includes pre- and post-mobilization healthcare coverage for anyone deploying on 12304b duty status. The EANGUS National Office will continue to engage the Hill after the Senate considers S. 1519, and the bills go to conference committee.
S. 1519 includes a provision to expand TRICARE Reserve Select (TRS) to those also eligible for the Federal Employee Health Benefit (FEHB), to include our federal technician force. As you recall, Scott Bousum, Legislative Director, EANGUS testified before SASC in March, 2016 and spoke about the need to expand TRS coverage to this population. EANGUS influence and continued engagement with the U.S. Senate paid off in 2017. H.R. 2810 does not include similar language, so the National Office staff will be distributing letters of support to the conference committee members, and will be distributing EANGUS Legislative Calls to Action to ensure that the provision makes it into the final version of the NDAA by year’s end.