Bill Text: NJ AR55 | 2012-2013 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Urges federal government to enact legislation lessening disparity in education benefits between National Guard and Reserves and active military personnel.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 2-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2012-02-06 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Military and Veterans' Affairs Committee [AR55 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2012-AR55-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman DAVID W. WOLFE
District 10 (Ocean)
Assemblyman SCOTT T. RUMANA
District 40 (Bergen, Essex, Morris and Passaic)
SYNOPSIS
Urges federal government to enact legislation lessening disparity in education benefits between National Guard and Reserves and active military personnel.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Assembly Resolution urging the federal government to enact legislation increasing education benefits for members of the National Guard and Reserves.
Whereas, In the 60 years since the first "G.I. Bill of Rights" was signed, more than 21 million veterans and family members have received education and training from the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA); and
Whereas, In 2003, the VA helped provide education or training for 322,754 veterans and active-duty personnel, 88,342 reservists and 61,874 survivors; and
Whereas, Members of the National Guard and Reserves are eligible for education and training benefits under the Montgomery G.I. Bill (MGIB), but have seen their benefits drop significantly over the past several years in comparison to active-duty personnel; and
Whereas, Members currently participating in the active-duty component of MGIB may receive up to $1,004 per month for full-time training and education, depending on their length of service, but reserve-component members receive only $288 per month for full-time training and education; and
Whereas, Although the education benefits for the National Guard and Reserves have dropped from 47% of the active-duty component MGIB benefits in 1985 to just 28% of the active-duty MGIB benefits today, guardsmen and reservists are increasingly called up to active duty for extended periods of time, as in the case of Operation Iraqi Freedom; and
Whereas, Normally called up for an active-duty period of 12 months, an estimated 15,000 to 18,000 guardsmen and reservists have been called to active duty and stayed for a period of two years or longer; and
Whereas, Although the federal government has taken steps to ensure that guardsmen and reservists whose active-duty time is extended beyond 24 months are eligible for greater benefits, there still exists a significant disparity in basic educational assistance between members of the National Guard and Reserves and active military personnel; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. This House urges the Congress and President of the United States to enact legislation increasing education benefits for members of the National Guard and Reserves to help lessen the disparity in basic educational assistance that currently exists between guardsmen and reservists and active military personnel.
2. Duly authenticated copies of this resolution, signed by the Speaker of the General Assembly and attested by the Clerk thereof, shall be transmitted to the President of the United States and to each member of Congress from New Jersey.
STATEMENT
This Assembly resolution urges the federal government to enact legislation lessening the disparity in education benefits between members of the National Guard and Reserves and active military personnel by increasing the amount of basic educational assistance for which guardsmen and reservists may qualify.
Active-duty military personnel currently participating in the Montgomery G.I. Bill (MGIB) may receive up to $1,004 per month for full-time training and education, depending on their length of service, but reserve-component members receive only $288 per month for full-time training and education.
Education benefits for National Guard and Reserve members have dropped from 47% of the active-duty component MGIB benefits in 1985 to just 28% of the active-duty MGIB benefits today, yet guardsmen and reservists are increasingly called up to active duty for extended periods of time.
