Issa Applauds National Guard Bonus Scandal Fix

Press Release

Congressman Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) released the following statement after lawmakers announced a deal to help forgive the debts of California soldiers ordered to repay enlistment bonuses and refunds bonus monies to those who already repaid them:

"This is an important fix that ultimately does the right thing," said Congressman Darrell Issa. "It moves the burden of proof off the soldiers and onto the Department of Defense to prove that those who received bonuses knew they shouldn't have, and also helps make sure those who already wrongly repaid their portion are made whole at once. After so many of our heroes have had their credit ruined, their life savings ransacked and their financial futures upturned in an effort to repay bonuses they accepted in good faith, this is an appropriate and necessary step to doing what's right.

Soldiers will hopefully be able to breathe a sigh of relief and know that, unless there was some sort of intentional wrongdoing, Uncle Sam won't be coming after them."

Congressman Darrell Issa also went on to caution that, "If soldiers who already repaid their bonuses do not have their money returned in an expeditious manner or if we later discover the Pentagon is still pursuing soldiers who accepted bonuses in good faith, we will revisit this with new legislation on Day 1 of the new Congress."

The compromise will be included in the National Defense Authorization, which will be voted on at the end of next week and does the following:

Forgives the enlistment bonuses and student loan benefits unless the soldier who received the money "knew or reasonably should have known" that he or she was ineligible for it.
Requires the Pentagon to inform credit agencies to correct any adverse effect on credit scores if the debts are forgiven.
Requires the Defense Department to refund any repayments already made by soldiers as long as they were not guilty of fraud.
Moves the burden of proof from the soldier to the Department of Defense to prove the soldier knew -- or should have known -- they were ineligible.

Source