S.Amdt. 303

SA 303. Mr. HOEVEN (for himself and Mr. Schatz) submitted an
amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 2226, to
authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2024 for military activities
of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for
defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military
personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which
was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

At the appropriate place in title V, insert the following:

SEC. __. FEDERAL TUITION ASSISTANCE FOR MEMBERS OF THE AIR
NATIONAL GUARD AND RESERVE.

(a) Findings.--Congress makes the following findings:
(1) The Secretary of the Air Force stated in March 2023
that the Air Force expects to miss its recruiting goals
across its active and reserve components.
(2) The Federal Tuition Assistance (FTA) program in the
Army National Guard demonstrates the value of education
benefits as a tool for recruitment and retention of
personnel.
(3) In fiscal years 2020 and 2021, Congress provided funds
for the Air National Guard to establish a pilot program to
provide its members with Federal tuition assistance modeled
after the permanent program in the Army National Guard.
(4) During fiscal year 2021, 974 drill status Air National
Guard members received tuition assistance through the Air
National Guard pilot program.
(5) The Air National Guard terminated the pilot program in
fiscal year 2022, citing competing budget priorities.
(b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that--
(1) members of the Air National Guard should have access to
the same educational benefits as members of the Army National
Guard;
(2) members of the Guard and Reserve components should have
education benefits on par with their active duty
counterparts; and
(3) education benefits are a critical tool for recruiting
and retaining outstanding personnel in all service branches
and components.
(c) Program.--The Secretary of the Air Force shall
establish and carry out a permanent program to provide
Federal tuition assistance to members of the Air National
Guard and Reserve.
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