[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 100 (Tuesday, July 9, 1996)]
[House]
[Pages H7132-H7133]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    THE MONTGOMERY GI BILL, THE ARMED FORCES' BEST RECRUITMENT TOOL

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from California [Mr. Filner] is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, recently the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of 
Staff stated that, ``we remain committed to maintaining quality 
personnel, and recruiters from all Services have stated the Montgomery 
GI bill is the best recruitment tool they have.''
  I have had the great pleasure of serving on the Veterans' Affairs 
Committee with the Honorable G.V. (Sonny) Montgomery, the principal 
author and sponsor of the newest GI bill. It is no surprise that the 
Department of Defense's latest evaluation of the Montgomery GI bill 
strongly supports this program's continuation. Sonny designed the new 
GI bill with great care and after extensive hearings which included 
more than 200 witnesses. Because of his careful attention to program 
structure, the Montgomery GI bill has been uniquely successful and has 
fulfilled all of its intended purposes. As noted in a recent report, 
the percentage of new recruits choosing to enroll in the GI bill has 
risen from 50 percent at the program's inception in 1985 to a 
remarkable 95 percent in fiscal year 1995. Since the implementation of 
the Montgomery GI bill, more than 2 million active-duty recruits have 
elected to participate in the program--vividly demonstrating the 
attractiveness of this GI bill to the young people entering the Armed 
Forces.
  Further, Mr. Speaker, the Department of Defense notes that the 
percentage of GI bill participants who are using their benefits 
following military service continues to rise, from 40 percent in 1991 
to 46 percent at the end of 1993. This is a promising and important 
trend, but we must continue to watch these numbers closely. We all want 
these men and women, who earn their education benefits through 
honorable military service, to make full use of their GI bill education 
assistance.
  Regarding the adequacy of the Montgomery GI bill benefit as a 
recruitment incentive, the Department of Defense noted that during 
fiscal year 1995 all services met their recruiting objectives. Some 96 
percent of new recruits were high school diploma graduates, 71 percent 
had above-average scores on the aptitude tests administered to new 
recruits, and fewer than 1 percent were in the lowest acceptable 
aptitude category. In spite of these impressive statistics, the 
Department of Defense cautions, ``With recent recruiting successes, 
current basic benefits appear to be adequate as an enlistment 
incentive. However, if college costs, especially tuition and fees, 
continue to rise significantly above inflation, the offset provided by 
the Montgomery GI bill benefits will require close monitoring to keep 
the program competitive.'' I urge my colleagues to pay close attention 
to this serious concern raised by the Department of Defense. Sonny 
Montgomery has struggled to keep the GI bill basic benefit competitive, 
and I hope to ensure that the program that carries his name is 
maintained and strengthened in the 105th Congress.
  I know Sonny would want me to emphasize that the first and primary 
purpose of the Montgomery GI bill is to

[[Page H7133]]

assist in the readjustment of members of the Armed Forces to civilian 
life. The Department of Defense reports that total cost--tuition, fees, 
room and board--for a 4-year education rose 31 percent between 1985 and 
1993. During the same time period, average tuition and fees at 4-year 
institutions increased 43 percent. Because of these increases in the 
cost of education, the GI bill benefit covered only 39 percent of the 
total costs and 70 percent of tuition and fees in 1993-94. The men and 
women who volunteer and honorably serve our Nation through military 
service more than earn their educational assistance benefits--and they 
deserve a benefit level that will significantly assist them in their 
efforts to pursue further education.

  In the early years of the program, enrollment rates differed somewhat 
based on demographic groups such as gender, race/ethnicity, or 
education level. In fiscal year 1995, however, there were virtually no 
differences in enrollment rates among demographic groups, clearly 
demonstrating the broad appeal of the Montgomery GI bill.
  Preliminary numbers show that, although there is little difference in 
the GI bill enrollment rates based on aptitude levels, the usage rates 
differ dramatically. The young people with the highest scores on 
aptitude tests are far more likely to use their GI bill benefits than 
those whose scores were in the average to below-average range. this 
early information is a useful warning that special efforts may be 
necessary to ensure that all GI bill participants take advantage of 
their earned benefits.
  There is little difference in usage rates among the race/ethnicity 
groups. Usage rates by gender differ more than do enrollment rates with 
male usage below female usage, and married veterans use their benefits 
at a lower rate than their single counterparts. The next Department of 
Defense report to Congress on the Montgomery GI bill, due in 1998, will 
include more veterans who have passed their time limit for benefit 
usage. Consequently, we will then have a more accurate idea of usage 
trends.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind my colleagues that the Montgomery 
GI bill was enacted in 1984 in spite of powerful opposition. Because 
Sonny Montgomery and his supporters were tenacious and committed they 
prevailed and won a long, hard battle. America's best and brightest 
young women and men have the opportunity to earn education assistance 
benefits through honorable military service. I want to thank Sonny 
Montgomery and all those who participated in and supported this 
remarkable effort and hope we continue to support it in the future.

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