[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 69 (Tuesday, April 29, 2008)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3513-S3514]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. GRAHAM (for himself, Mr. Burr, Mr. McCain, Mr. Chambliss, 
        Mr. Lieberman, Mr. Cornyn, Mr. Alexander, Mrs. Hutchison, Mr. 
        Martinez, Mr. Stevens, Mr. Cochran, Ms. Collins, Mr. Barrasso, 
        Mr. Domenici, Mrs. Dole, Mr. Wicker, Mr. Isakson, and Mr. 
        Inhofe):
  S. 2938. A bill to amend titles 10 and 38, United States Code, to 
improve educational assistance for members of the Armed Forces and 
veterans in order to enhance recruitment and retention for the Armed 
Forces, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
  Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, I am very pleased to join today with 
Senator Lindsey Graham, the Ranking Member of the Personnel 
Subcommittee of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and Senator 
Richard Burr, the Ranking Member of the Senate Veterans Committee, in 
introducing the Enhancement of Recruitment, Retention, and Readjustment 
Through Education Act. This legislation, which is designed to greatly 
enhance veterans' education benefits, is also cosponsored by Senators 
Chambliss, Lieberman, Cornyn, Alexander, Hutchison, Martinez, Stevens, 
Cochran, Collins, Barrasso, Domenici, Dole, Wicker, and Isakson.
  Mr. President, America has an obligation to provide unwavering 
support to America's veterans, servicemembers, and retirees. Men and 
women who have served their country deserve the best education benefits 
we are able to give them, and they deserve to receive them as quickly 
as possible. And that is what our legislation is designed to 
accomplish.
  The Enhancement of Recruitment, Retention, and Readjustment Through 
Education Act would increase education benefits for servicemembers, 
veterans, and members of the Guard and Reserve. It would help 
facilitate successful recruitment efforts and, importantly, encourage 
continued service in the military by granting a higher education 
payment for longer service. It also provides a transferability feature 
to allow the serviceman and woman to have the option of transferring 
education benefits to their children and spouses. In developing this 
legislation, the one theme we heard from almost every veterans' 
services organization is the need for such a transferability provision.
  As my colleagues know, our proposal is not the only measure that has 
been offered to increase GI education benefits, and I want to commend 
the efforts of Senators Webb, Hagel, Warner and others on their work to 
bring this important issue to the forefront in the Senate, by the 
introduction of S. 22. Each of us supports a revitalized GI program. 
While I don't think anyone disagrees with the overall intent of S. 22, 
I believe we can and should do more to promote recruitment and 
retention of servicemen and women and to ensure that veterans and their 
families receive the education benefits they deserve, and in a timely 
manner. But I remain very hopeful that we can all work together in a 
bipartisan manner to ensure that Congress enacts meaningful legislation 
that will be signed into law as soon as possible.
  Unlike S. 22, our legislation builds on the existing Montgomery GI 
Bill educational benefits to ensure rapid implementation. Unlike S. 22, 
our bill focuses on the entire spectrum of military members who make up 
the All Volunteer Force, from the newest recruit to the career NCOs, 
officers, reservists and National Guardsmen, to veterans who have 
completed their service and retirees, as well as the families of all of 
these individuals.
  The legislation would immediately increase education benefits for 
active duty personnel from $1100 to $1500 a month. To encourage careers 
in the military, the education benefits would increase to $2000 a month 
after 12 or more years of service. Further, it would allow 
a servicemember to transfer 50 percent of benefits to a spouse or child 
starting after 6 years of service, and after 12 years of service, 100 
percent may be transferred to a spouse or dependent children. This is a 
key pro-retention provision. In addition, our bill would provide $500 
annually for college books and supplies while our servicemembers are 
going to school.

  The bill also would increase from $880 to $1200 per month the 
education benefits for Guard and Reserve members called to active duty 
since September

[[Page S3514]]

11, 2001. Further, it would gradually increase benefits to $1600 per 
month for those members of the Guard and Reserves who serve in the 
Selected Reserve for 12 years or more and who continue serving in the 
Selected Reserve.
  Servicemembers who enlist after they have already received post-
secondary education degrees should also be allowed to benefit under an 
improved GI Bill and be allowed to use their education benefits to 
repay Federal student loans. Under our bill, servicemembers could use 
up to $6,000 per year of Montgomery G.I. Bill education benefits to 
repay Federal student loans. And, it doubles from $317 to $634 the 
education benefits for other members of the Guard and Reserves.
  Our bill also recognizes the sacrifice of all who have served in the 
Global War on Terror, including members of the Guard and Reserve who 
are serving on active duty and deploying at historic rates by doubling 
the educational assistance for members of the Selected Reserve and, 
again, making the educational benefits transferable to family members.
  Finally, I do think it is important that the Administration's views 
on this important issue are taken into account. That is why earlier 
this month, Senator Levin and I wrote to the Department of Defense 
seeking views on proposals to modernize the GI Bill.
  Again, it is my hope that the proponents of the pending veteran's 
education benefits measures can join together to ensure that Congress 
enacts meaningful legislation that the President will sign. Such 
legislation should address the entire spectrum of the All Volunteer 
Force. It must be easily understood and implemented and responsive to 
the needs not only of veterans, but also of those who are serving in 
the active duty forces, the Guard and Reserve, and their families. 
Their exemplary service to our nation, and the sacrifice of their 
families, deserves no less.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that a letter of support be 
printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

                                     The Secretary of Defense,

                                   Washington, DC, April 29, 2008.
     Hon. John McCain,
     Ranking Member, Committee on Armed Services, U.S. Senate, 
         Washington, DC.
       Dear Senator McCain: you earlier asked for my views on S. 
     22. Since your request, two other bills have been introduced 
     (H.R. 5684 and, in the Senate, the Enhancement of 
     Recruitment, Retention, and Readjustment Through Education 
     Act of 2008). I welcome the opportunity to outline the 
     criteria the Department has established to evaluate specific 
     proposals, with the ultimate objective of strengthening the 
     All-Volunteer Force, as well as properly recognizing our 
     veterans' service.
       Our first objective is to strengthen the All-Volunteer 
     force. Accordingly, it is essential to permit transferability 
     of unused education benefits from service members to family. 
     This is the highest priority set by the Service Chiefs and 
     the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, reflecting the 
     strong interest from the field and fleet. Transferability 
     supports military families, thereby enhancing retention. 
     Second, any enhancement of the education benefit, whether 
     used in service or after retirement, must serve to enhance 
     recruiting and not undercut retention.
       Third, significant benefit increases need to be focused on 
     those willing to commit to longer periods of service--hence 
     the Department's interest in at least six years of service to 
     be eligible for transferability. Re-enlistments (and longer 
     service) are critical to the success of the All-Volunteer 
     Force. Fourth, the program should provide participants with 
     benefits tailored to their unique situation, thereby 
     broadening the population from which we retain and recruit. 
     This includes those whose past educational achievements have 
     resulted in education debt through student loans, and those 
     seeking advanced degrees and who may have earned 
     undergraduate degrees with Department of Defense support.
       As you may well appreciate, a key issue is the 
     determination of the benefit level for the basic GI bill 
     program. The Department estimates that serious retention 
     issues could arise if the benefit were expanded beyond the 
     level sufficient to offset average monthly costs for a public 
     four-year institution (tuition, room, board, and fees). These 
     costs are presently estimated at about $1,500 according to 
     the National Center for Education Statistics. This would 
     still entail a substantial increase to the present benefit 
     value of $1,100.
       An important corollary to the GI Bill is the recognition 
     that today, remaining in the military is entirely consistent 
     with the attainment of education goals. Unlike the past, our 
     nation now encourages the fulfillment of college aspirations 
     while serving, thus dealing with readjustment through up 
     front programs, rather than only after discharge. DoD invests 
     about $700 million annually to offer funded, education 
     tuition assistance for our servicemen and women while 
     serving. More than 400,000 members of the armed forces took 
     advantage of such tuition assistance last year.
       In conclusion, for all these reasons, the Department does 
     not support S. 22. This legislation does not meet, and, in 
     some respects, is in direct variance to the Department's 
     above-stated objectives and supporting criteria.
       Thank you for the opportunity to comment. We look forward 
     to working closely with the Congress to strengthen the All-
     Volunteer force through a balanced program of recruiting, 
     retention and education benefits, and to recognize the 
     service of our veterans.

           Sincerely,
     Robert M. Gates

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