Rep. Schiff Calls on California National Guard to Halt Efforts to Seek Repayment of Enlistment Bonuses, Is Drafting Legislation

Press Release

Today, Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) called on the California National Guard and the Pentagon to immediately halt efforts to obtain repayment of enlistment bonuses, student loan payments, and other payments granted incorrectly to members of the California Guard. In a letter to Adjutant General of the California National Guard David Baldwin, Schiff pushed the Guard to immediately halt these efforts saying that "seeking reimbursement for these funds when they were accepted in good faith imposes a substantial financial hardship on those who have served our nation and their families."

In the letter, Schiff also announced that he is working on a legislative remedy for when Congress is back in session in November.

In a statement accompanying the letter, Schiff stated: "The men and women of the National Guard serve our nation well, and they deserve better than being hounded for repayment of enlistment bonuses and other benefits they were mistakenly provided through no fault of their own. These soldiers enlisted during the Iraq and Afghanistan wars and frequently served overseas, and we owe them a debt that we can never repay, but we can start by ensuring they are not subject to tax liens or wage garnishments based on the errors of others. Congress can, and I believe will, address this unacceptable situation, and in the meantime the California National Guard should suspend all debt collection activities against these soldiers."

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