[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 3]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 4471]
[From the U.S. 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

                                  _____
                                 

                       HON. ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON

                      of the district of columbia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 17, 2011

  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, today I introduce a bill, the Major General 
David F. Wherley, Jr., District of Columbia National Guard Retention 
and College Access Act, NGRCA, to permanently authorize funding for a 
program that provides grants for higher education tuition to members of 
the D.C. National Guard. The NGRCA authorizes an education incentive 
program, recommended by the late Major General David F. Wherley, Jr., 
and his successor, Major General Errol Schwartz, who suggested that 
education grants would be useful in stemming the troublesome loss of 
members of the D.C. Guard to other units, in part because surrounding 
states offer such educational benefits to their Guards. I am grateful 
that the Appropriations Committee has provided funds in some years, 
most recently in 2010. Authorizing funding is necessary to ensure that 
D.C. National Guard members receive the same treatment and benefits as 
other National Guard members, especially those in states which provide 
the higher education benefits we seek for D.C. National Guard members. 
The Guard for the Nation's Capital has a severely limited ability to 
compete for the pool of regional residents, who find membership in the 
Maryland and Virginia Guards more beneficial. A competitive tuition 
assistance program for the D.C. National Guard will provide significant 
incentives and leverage to help counteract declining enrollment and 
level the field of competition. The D.C. National Guard is a federal 
instrument that is not under the control of the mayor of the District 
of Columbia, which we are trying to change for local emergencies. The 
federal government supports most other D.C. National Guard functions 
and should support this small benefit as well.
  The small education incentives in my bill would not only encourage 
high-quality recruits, but would have the important benefit of helping 
the D.C. National Guard to maintain the force necessary to protect the 
federal presence, including Members of Congress and the Supreme Court, 
and visitors if a terrorist attack should occur. I am pleased to 
introduce the bill based on the advice of Guard personnel, who best 
know what is necessary.
  It is especially important for the D.C. National Guard to be able to 
attract the best soldiers, given the unique mission it has to protect 
the federal presence here, in addition to D.C. residents. This 
responsibility distinguishes the D.C. National Guard from all other 
National Guards. The D.C. National Guard is specially trained to meet 
its unique mission.
  I urge my colleagues to support the bill.

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