[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 101 (Tuesday, June 23, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E947-E948]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 THE INTRODUCTION OF THE MAJOR GENERAL DAVID F. WHERLEY, JR., DISTRICT 
      OF COLUMBIA NATIONAL GUARD RETENTION AND COLLEGE ACCESS ACT

                                  _____
                                 

                       HON. ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON

                      of the district of columbia

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 23, 2015

  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, today, I introduce the Major General David 
F. Wherley, Jr., District of Columbia National Guard Retention and 
College Access Act (NGRCA) on the six-year anniversary of the tragic 
June 22, 2009 Metro crash, where General Wherley, former Commanding 
General of the D.C. National Guard, his wife, Ann, and seven others 
were killed when Metro trains collided on the Red Line. Yesterday, the 
District of Columbia opened Legacy Memorial Park in Ward 4 to honor 
those who lost their lives and the 70 area residents who were injured. 
My bill would permanently authorize funding for a program that provides 
grants for higher education to members of the D.C. National Guard, 
which is funded by the federal government. I have renamed this bill 
after General Wherley because he worked tirelessly with me to get 
funding for the program for many years, and because of his devotion to 
the youth of the District of Columbia.
  The NGRCA authorizes an education incentive program, recommended by 
the late General Wherley and his successor, Major General Errol 
Schwartz, to stem the troublesome loss of members of the D.C. Guard to 
other units. Surrounding states offer such educational benefits to 
their Guards. I am grateful that Congress has provided funds for the 
program in recent years, most recently in fiscal year 2015. Naming a 
permanently authorized program after General Wherley would memorialize 
his service to the country and to the Guard in a way that I know his 
family would appreciate. Authorizing funding is necessary to ensure 
that D.C. Guard members receive the same treatment and benefits as 
other National Guard members, particularly those in states that provide 
the higher education benefits we seek for D.C. Guard members. The Guard 
for the nation's capital has a limited ability to compete for regional 
residents, who may find membership in the Maryland and Virginia Guards 
more beneficial. A competitive tuition assistance program for the D.C. 
Guard will provide significant and much needed incentives to help 
maintain enrollment and level the field of competition. The D.C. Guard 
is a federal instrument not under the control of the mayor of the 
District of Columbia. The federal government supports D.C. Guard 
functions and should support this small benefit as well.
  I appreciate that the Congress has not hesitated to fund the 
education benefits for the D.C. National Guard. These small education 
incentives have not only encouraged high-quality recruits, but have 
helped the D.C. Guard to maintain the force necessary to protect the 
federal presence here, including in the event of a natural disaster or 
terrorist attack. I am pleased to introduce the bill based on the 
advice of Guard personnel, who best know what is necessary.
  I urge my colleagues to support the bill.

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