[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2561 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
108th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 2561
To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for certain
servicemembers to become eligible for educational assistance under the
Montgomery GI Bill.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
June 23 (legislative day, June 22), 2004
Mr. Johnson introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for certain
servicemembers to become eligible for educational assistance under the
Montgomery GI Bill.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Montgomery GI Bill Enhancement Act
of 2004''.
SEC. 2. OPPORTUNITY FOR CERTAIN ACTIVE-DUTY PERSONNEL TO ENROLL UNDER
THE MONTGOMERY GI BILL.
(a) In General.--Chapter 30 of title 38, United States Code, is
amended by inserting after section 3018C the following new section:
``Sec. 3018D. Opportunity for certain active-duty personnel to enroll
``(a)(1) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter,
during the one-year period beginning on the date of the enactment of
this section, a qualified individual (described in subsection (b)) may
make an irrevocable election under this section to become entitled to
basic educational assistance under this chapter.
``(2) The Secretary of each military department shall provide for
procedures for a qualified individual to make an irrevocable election
under this section in accordance with regulations prescribed by the
Secretary of Defense for the purpose of carrying out this section or
which the Secretary of Homeland Security shall provide for such purpose
with respect to the Coast Guard when it is not operating as a service
in the Navy.
``(b) A qualified individual referred to in subsection (a) is an
individual who meets each of the following requirements:
``(1) The individual first became a member of the Armed
Forces or first entered on active duty as a member of the Armed
Forces before July 1, 1985.
``(2) The individual has served on active duty without a
break in service since the date the individual first became
such a member or first entered on active duty as such a member
and continues to serve on active duty for some or all of the
one-year period referred to in subsection (a).
``(3) The individual, before applying for benefits under
this section, has completed the requirements of a secondary
school diploma (or equivalency certificate) or has successfully
completed (or otherwise received academic credit for) the
equivalent of 12 semester hours in a program of education
leading to a standard college degree.
``(4) The individual, when discharged or released from
active duty, is discharged or released therefrom with an
honorable discharge.
``(c)(1) Subject to the succeeding provisions of this subsection,
with respect to a qualified individual who makes an election under this
section to become entitled to basic educational assistance under this
chapter--
``(A) the basic pay of the qualified individual shall be
reduced (in a manner determined by the Secretary concerned)
until the total amount by which such basic pay is reduced is
$2,700; and
``(B) to the extent that basic pay is not so reduced before
the qualified individual's discharge or release from active
duty as specified in subsection (b)(4), at the election of the
qualified individual--
``(i) the Secretary concerned shall collect from
the qualified individual; or
``(ii) the Secretary concerned shall reduce the
retired or retainer pay of the qualified individual by,
an amount equal to the difference between $2,700 and the total
amount of reductions under subparagraph (A), which shall be
paid into the Treasury of the United States as miscellaneous
receipts.
``(2)(A) The Secretary concerned shall provide for an 18-month
period, beginning on the date the qualified individual makes an
election under this section, for the qualified individual to pay that
Secretary the amount due under paragraph (1).
``(B) Nothing in subparagraph (A) shall be construed as modifying
the period of eligibility for and entitlement to basic educational
assistance under this chapter applicable under section 3031 of this
title.
``(d) With respect to qualified individuals referred to in
subsection (c)(1)(B), no amount of educational assistance allowance
under this chapter shall be paid to the qualified individual until the
earlier of the date on which--
``(1) the Secretary concerned collects the applicable
amount under clause (i) of such subsection; or
``(2) the retired or retainer pay of the qualified
individual is first reduced under clause (ii) of such
subsection.
``(e) The Secretary, in conjunction with the Secretary of Defense,
shall provide for notice of the opportunity under this section to elect
to become entitled to basic educational assistance under this
chapter.''.
(b) Conforming Amendments.--Section 3017(b)(1) of such title is
amended--
(1) in subparagraphs (A) and (C), by striking ``or
3018C(e)'' and inserting ``3018C(e), or 3018D(c)''; and
(2) in subparagraph (B), by inserting ``or 3018D(c)'' after
``under section 3018C(e)''.
(c) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of
chapter 30 of such title is amended by inserting after the item
relating to section 3018C the following new item:
``3018D. Opportunity for certain active-duty personnel to enroll.''.
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