[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4388 Introduced in House (IH)]







106th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 4388

  To amend title 10, United States Code, to provide improved benefits 
 training to members of the Armed Forces to enhance retention, and for 
                            other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 4, 2000

 Ms. Sanchez (for herself, Mr. Bartlett of Maryland, Mr. Andrews, and 
Ms. McKinney) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                      Committee on Armed Services

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To amend title 10, United States Code, to provide improved benefits 
 training to members of the Armed Forces to enhance retention, and for 
                            other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Military Retention Benefits Training 
Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.

    (a) Findings.--The Comptroller General has made the following 
findings with respect to retention of active-duty military 
servicemembers:
            (1) First-term enlistees experience a 33 percent dropout 
        rate.
            (2) Junior enlisted ranks (pay grades E1-E3) only have a 36 
        percent satisfaction rate.
            (3) Basic pay is the number one reason such members give 
        for leaving military service.
    (b) Purpose.--The purpose of this Act is to improve retention of 
members of the Armed Forces by providing for an improved program of 
education of members of the Armed Forces of all benefits available to 
them while in the Armed Forces, and after separation from the Armed 
Forces, that are provided by the Department of Defense or the 
Department of Veterans Affairs.

SEC. 3. TRAINING IN MILITARY AND VETERANS BENEFITS.

    (a) In General.--(1) Chapter 53 of title 10, United States Code, is 
amended by inserting before section 1031 the following new section:
``Sec. 1021. Training in military and veterans benefits
    ``(a) Training Required.--The Secretary concerned shall make 
available to members of the armed forces under the jurisdiction of the 
Secretary a program of education and training to inform members of the 
benefits to which members of the armed forces and their dependents are 
entitled or may become entitled upon remaining in the armed forces 
until becoming eligible for retired or retainer pay.
    ``(b) Training Qualifications.--Participation by a member of the 
armed forces in a program of benefits training shall satisfy 
requirements established by the Secretary concerned for--
            ``(1) career development training; and
            ``(2) general military training.
    ``(c) Matters To Be Included.--Programs of benefits training shall 
include information concerning the following:
            ``(1) All current benefits provided by the Department of 
        Defense, including--
                    ``(A) the elements of military compensation, 
                including basic allowance for housing (BAH) and other 
                compensation;
                    ``(B) military retired pay;
                    ``(C) health care, including TRICARE and CHAMPUS;
                    ``(D) spouse and dependent survivor benefits;
                    ``(E) the Montgomery GI Bill and other education 
                and training opportunities;
                    ``(F) morale, welfare, and recreation (MWR) 
                benefits, including commissary and exchange privileges, 
                child care, and other benefits; and
                    ``(G) Armed Forces Retirement Homes.
            ``(2) All benefits provided by the Department of Veterans 
        Affairs, including--
                    ``(A) health care;
                    ``(B) disability benefits;
                    ``(C) education and training;
                    ``(D) home loan guarantees;
                    ``(E) life insurance;
                    ``(F) burial benefits;
                    ``(G) survivor benefits; and
                    ``(H) overseas benefits.
    ``(d) Persons Eligible for Benefits Training.--Benefits training 
shall be available to--
            ``(1) all members of the armed forces on active duty or in 
        an active status in a reserve component; and
            ``(2) retired members of the armed forces on a space 
        available basis.
    ``(e) Military Funeral Honors Database.--The Secretary of Defense 
shall develop and maintain a database of information on those 
servicemembers attending benefits training who volunteer to perform 
military funeral honors.''.
    (2) The table of sections at the beginning of such chapter is 
amended by inserting before the item relating to section 1031 the 
following new item:

``1021. Training in military and veterans benefits.''.
    (b) Effective Date.--Section 1021 of title 10, United States Code, 
as added by subsection (a), shall take effect on October 1, 2000.
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