In a concerted effort to support those who have borne the battle, Senator Mark Kelly has introduced the Purple Heart Veterans Education Act alongside a group of bipartisan lawmakers. The bill, unveiled by Kelly, Senators Patty Murray (D-WA), and Thom Tillis (R-NC), aims to address a gap in the current law that prevents some Purple Heart recipients from transferring their GI Bill educational benefits to their dependents, as reported by the Senator's Office. A corresponding measure was outlined in the House by Representatives Mike Levin (D-CA-47) and Greg Murphy (R-NC-3).
This legislation responds to an issue that arose from the 2017 Forever GI Bill enhancements, which let servicemembers transfer benefits after six years of service with a commitment to serve four more. While the Department of Defense updated policies in 2018 to enable Purple Heart awardees to transfer benefits while still on active duty irrespective of their service tenure, it unintentionally left out recipients who were awarded their Purple Hearts post-discharge. As a result, Senator Kelly said, "Closing this unfair loophole to make sure Purple Heart veterans can transfer their GI Bill benefits to their dependents is long overdue," as stated by the Senator's Office.
The bill draws support across party lines, with co-sponsors including Senators Rick Scott (R-FL), Angus King (I-VT), and others acknowledging the importance of rectifying this oversight. In conveying her support, Senator Murray shared a personal connection, recounting a constituent's inability to transfer his benefits to his daughter because his Purple Heart was received after discharge. Adding to the legislative push are endorsements from veterans' advocacy groups such as Disabled American Veterans (DAV), Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), and Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW).
Key provisions within the proposed act include the ability for any individual awarded the Purple Heart post-9/11 to transfer their educational benefits to dependents, the option to divide the 36-month total of benefits between beneficiaries, and provisions to secure these benefits against being treated as assets in marital disputes. Crucially, the act would also ensure that dependents can utilize the unused educational benefits if the veteran passes away. Joy Ilem, DAV National Legislative Director, amidst showing staunch support for the bill, shared, "We thank Sen. Mark Kelly, Sen. Patty Murray and Sen. Thom Tillis for their leadership," the Senator's Office noted.
