[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 150 (Monday, September 15, 2025)]
[House]
[Pages H4293-H4294]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
EDITH NOURSE ROGERS STEM SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITY ACT
Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill
(H.R. 2034) to amend title 38, United States Code, to modify the
requirements of the Edith Nourse Rogers STEM Scholarship, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 2034
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 ``Edith Nourse Rogers STEM
Scholarship Opportunity Act''.
SEC. 2. MODIFICATIONS TO EDITH NOURSE ROGERS STEM
SCHOLARSHIP.
Section 3320 of title 38, United States Code, is amended--
(1) in subsection (b)--
(A) by striking paragraph (2);
(B) by redesignating paragraphs (3) and (4) as paragraphs
(2) and (3), respectively; and
(C) in paragraph (3), as so redesignated, in subparagraph
(A)(ii)--
(i) by striking ``60'' and inserting ``45''; and
(ii) by striking ``90'' and inserting ``67.5'';
(2) in subsection (c)(1)--
(A) by redesignating subparagraphs (A) and (B) as
subparagraphs (C) and (D), respectively; and
(B) by inserting before subparagraph (C), as so
redesignated, the following new subparagraphs:
``(A) Individuals who have used the most number of months
of the educational assistance to which they are entitled
under this chapter.
``(B) Individuals who are using their entitlement under
this chapter to pursue a program of post-secondary education
and who have declared a major in a field referred to in
subsection (b)(3)(A)(i).''; and
(3) in subsection (d), by adding at the end the following
new paragraph:
``(5) An individual who receives a benefit under this
section may only use such benefit after the individual has
used all of the educational assistance to which the
individual is entitled under this chapter.''.
SEC. 3. EXTENSION OF CERTAIN LIMITS ON PAYMENTS OF PENSION.
Section 5503(d)(7) of title 38, United States Code, is
amended by striking ``November 30, 2031'' and inserting
``March 31, 2033''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Illinois (Mr. Bost) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Takano) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Illinois.
General Leave
Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on
H.R. 2034, as amended.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Illinois?
There was no objection.
Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2034, as amended,
offered by my colleague, Representative Nikki Budzinski of Illinois.
This bill would make needed improvements to the Edith Nourse Rogers
STEM Scholarship education benefits program.
Currently, the program is underused because of bureaucratic red tape
that limits who is eligible for the scholarship. This mistake made by
previous Congresses has prevented the STEM scholarship from helping
those who are most in need.
While I believe more information is necessary to fully improve the
program, this bill is a step in the right direction. I thank our
colleague, Nikki Budzinski, for her support of this legislation.
Additionally, I thank my friend and fellow Representative, Abraham
Hamadeh of Arizona, for cosponsoring this legislation.
Representative Hamadeh's advocacy on this bill has been pivotal to
getting it on the House floor today to cut through the red tape and
improve education benefit access.
Finally, I thank The American Legion and Paralyzed Veterans of
America for their support of this legislation.
Madam Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to support H.R. 2034, as
amended, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise to express my support for H.R. 2034, the Edith
Nourse Rogers STEM Scholarship Opportunity Act, as amended.
Edith Nourse Rogers was a trailblazer for veteran benefits, and the
program we are amending today that bears her name was created to
support the next generation of veteran trailblazers. She was
instrumental in the creation of the original GI Bill and advocated for
a greater role for women in the Armed Forces.
Congress created the Edith Nourse Rogers STEM Scholarship in 2017 as
part of the Forever GI Bill. However, since creation, we have learned
of cases where improvements to the program would encourage more
veterans to pursue dual degrees, degrees in STEM education, and degrees
in healthcare.
Representative Budzinski's legislation would improve the program to
better fit student veteran needs by making two fundamental changes to
the program to increase access.
First, the legislation allows veterans to apply for the scholarship
while they are still finishing their undergraduate degrees. That means
students won't have to delay their education for no reason or hit an
arbitrary completed credit hour requirement if they are accepted into
the program. Veterans can seamlessly progress to their next degree.
Second, the legislation removes the requirement that a student
exhaust all credit hours on their GI Bill benefits, which makes
enrollment easier for STEM-seeking students.
The scholarship is a wonderful tool, but these requirements,
originally well-intended, have made the scholarship onerous to use and
limited enrollment far below projections.
H.R. 2034 fixes those issues and clears the way for more trailblazers
like Congresswoman Edith Nourse. I thank Representative Budzinski for
introducing this important bill, and I urge my colleagues in the House
and the Senate, as well, to support this bill.
Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. BOST. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from
Illinois (Ms. Budzinski), my good friend and the author of the bill,
the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Technology Modernization.
Ms. BUDZINSKI. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this
bill, the Edith Nourse Rogers STEM Scholarship Opportunity Act.
With the start of the new school year, the time is now to pass this
bipartisan legislation that will help student veterans who are training
for high-demand STEM fields.
I thank my colleague on the Veterans' Affairs Committee, Congressman
Hamadeh, for his collaboration and partnership on this bill. I also
thank our veterans for their service and sacrifice.
Madam Speaker, this bill removes barriers for student veterans
seeking a STEM education by modifying eligibility requirements for the
Edith Nourse Rogers STEM Scholarship.
This scholarship has proven crucial to getting more veterans involved
in STEM fields, but feedback from veterans in a 2022 GAO report has
shown that current eligibility requirements are barriers for many of
our student veterans.
The Edith Nourse Rogers STEM Scholarship Opportunity Act would
address these barriers by lowering the minimum number of credit hours
required. It would also allow student veterans to apply for the
scholarship before their post-9/11 GI Bill benefits run out.
This would allow for a smooth transition of funding for their
education. They have so greatly served us. It is time for us to serve
them.
Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill.
{time} 1720
Mr. BOST. Madam Speaker, I have no more speakers at this time. I am
ready to close, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I ask all my colleagues to join me in
passing H.R. 2034, the Edith Nourse Rogers STEM Scholarship Opportunity
Act, as amended, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. BOST. Madam Speaker, once again I encourage all Members to
support this legislation. I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Ms. Malliotakis). The question is on the
motion offered by the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Bost) that the House
suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 2034, as amended.
[[Page H4294]]
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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