Boozman Calls For GI Bill Benefit Expansion

Press Release

Boozman Calls For GI Bill Benefit Expansion

U.S. Representative John Boozman (R-AR) today announced he had joined with a bipartisan, bicameral, group of legislators to allow military service personnel to transfer unused GI Bill education benefits to their spouses or children - a proposal put forward in President Bush's State of the Union address.

Rep. Boozman is an original co-sponsor of H.R. 5229, offered by Rep. Roscoe Bartlett (R-MD) and Rep. Steve Israel (D-NY). Boozman joins 43 other House members in their sponsorship. The legislation is the House companion to S. 2575, offered by Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX).

"The full use of GI Bill benefits earned by our men and women in the military is the only fair outcome we can provide," Boozman said. "By allowing servicemembers to pass along their unused education benefits to their families, we can guarantee that the junior officer or senior sergeant can afford to send their children to college."

In his State of the Union address, President Bush asked Congress to "join me in…allowing our troops to transfer their unused education benefits to their spouses or children."

"It's not just the warrior who sacrifices so much for our country - families do as well," Boozman said. "Just as we must pay our debt to those who secure our way of life, we must honor the commitment and sacrifice of the husbands, wives, and children who remain at home. This is only a small step, but it is an important one for the military families across America."

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