[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 48 (Thursday, March 12, 2020)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E313]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





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

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                       HON. ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON

                      of the district of columbia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 12, 2020

  Ms. NORTON. Madam Speaker, today, I introduce the Major General David 
F. Wherley, Jr., District of Columbia National Guard Retention and 
College Access Act (NGRCA). This bill is named for General Wherley, 
former Commanding General of the D.C. National Guard, who, along with 
his wife, Ann, and seven others were tragically killed when Metro 
trains collided on the Red Line on June 22, 2009. This bill would 
permanently authorize funding for a program that provides grants for 
higher education to members of the D.C. National Guard, which is under 
the control of the federal, not the District of Columbia, government. I 
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 and to the National Guard.
  The NGRCA authorizes an education incentive program, recommended by 
General Wherley and his successor, Major General Errol Schwartz, to 
stem the troublesome loss of D.C. Guard members to other units, 
including National Guards in surrounding states that offer such 
educational benefits to their Guards. I am grateful that Congress has 
consistently provided funds for the program at our request, most 
recently $413,000 in fiscal year 2020. Permanently authorizing the 
program is necessary, however, to ensure that D.C. Guard members 
receive the same treatment and benefits as other National Guard 
members, particularly those in neighboring states that compete with the 
District for members and provide these education benefits. Today, the 
Guard for the nation's capital has a diminished ability to compete for 
regional residents if membership in the Maryland or Virginia Guards is 
more economically beneficial. A competitive tuition assistance program 
for the D.C. Guard would provide a significant and much-needed 
incentive to help maintain enrollment and level the field of 
competition. The federal government supports D.C. Guard functions and 
understands it should support this small benefit as well, because the 
appropriators have always funded the D.C. Guard program, even without 
authorization. However, depending on appropriations alone leaves the 
D.C. Guard program in a tenuous condition at odds with the tuition 
programs in nearby states. Because the program is not controversial, 
there is no reason not to permanently authorize funding for these D.C. 
National Guard education benefits.
  I appreciate that the appropriators and ultimately Congress have not 
hesitated to fund the education benefits for the D.C. National Guard. 
This support argues strongly for permanent authorization. These small 
education benefits 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 the possibility of a natural 
disaster or terrorist attack. I am pleased to introduce this bill based 
on the advice of Guard personnel, who best know what is necessary.
  I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

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