The Department of Defense has announced it will delay the implementation of restrictions on veterans that would prohibit them from transferring benefits to their loved ones and dependents. The restrictions had been set to go into effect this Friday, July 12. Currently many troops can allow their children to ease the cost of higher education through transferring their post-9/11 GI Bill benefits -- but the new rules would remove that right.
Connecticut’s 2nd District Representative Joe Courtney wrote to acting Secretary of Defense Mark Esper, urging him to delay implementation of the rule change while Congress completes its work on the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act. Courtney sent the letter on behalf of the House Armed Services Committee, and received signatures from all members of the group.
“We’re a state with a large military presence in southeastern Connecticut,” said Courtney. “This is obviously a big deal for [Connecticut veterans] to make sure that this benefit, which is extremely popular and something that people have really counted on in terms of planning their family finances, is going to stay in place.”
Voting on the final NDAA will occur in the House sometime this week. Courtney has sponsored an amendment to the bill that would protect the transfer of GI Bill benefits permanently.