Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act, 2008
Floor Speech
MILITARY CONSTRUCTION AND VETERANS AFFAIRS APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2008 -- (Senate - May 20, 2008)
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Mr. AKAKA. Madam President, I am delighted to be an original cosponsor of the amendment offered by the distinguished senior Senator from Virginia which would clarify that the provisions in current law regarding the transferability of educational assistance benefits to family members would apply to the new GI bill for the 21st century.
This amendment would further give the Department of Defense the ability to conduct a 2-year test of somewhat expanded transferability options to individuals who have completed 4 years of active duty service, who agree to complete an additional 6r years of service, and who meet such additional criteria as the Secretary of Defense establishes.
I have consistently stated that I believe that transferability can be an important retention tool for the military and that the provisions of current law would apply to the provisions in S. 22 as revised. However, I have also noted that there is no data that demonstrate the retention value of the transferability option.
The Army implemented a pilot program in July 2006 which allows soldiers who reenlist in critical skills to transfer their Montgomery GI bill benefits to their spouses. Mr. President, I will ask unanimous consent that the Department of Defense annual report on entitlement transfers, dated March 20, 2008, be printed in the Record at the conclusion of my remarks so that Members can see that less than two percent of those who were offered the opportunity to transfer benefits took advantage of that option.
It is on this basis that I believe that this authority needs to be continued and expanded slightly in the context of this new GI bill for the 21st century. But to rely on transferability solely or in lieu of the legislation that has been carefully developed by Senator Webb and others would be a mistake.
I urge the Senate to approve the amendment offered by Senator Warner.
I ask unanimous consent that the text of the letter be printed in the Record.
There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in the RECORD, as follows:
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