Senator’s legislation closes financial loophole preventing servicemembers from receiving payments they earned
WASHINGTON – Arizona senior Senator Kyrsten Sinema introduced bipartisan legislation with U.S. Senators John Cornyn (R-Texas), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) that empowers Arizona servicemembers to reclaim Montgomery GI Bill repayments.
“We’re helping Arizona servicemembers more easily reclaim GI Bill payments and receive the full benefits they have earned,” said Sinema, a member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee.
Sinema’s legislation closes a financial loophole inadvertently created during the transition from the Montgomery GI Bill to the Post 9-11 Forever GI Bill that prevents at least 25,000 active duty servicemembers who paid into the Montgomery GI Bill from receiving the monies they are owed.
The Montgomery GI Bill requires servicemembers to pay a $100 monthly fee during their first 12 months of active duty to receive financial assistance for education. If a servicemember chooses to switch to the Post 9-11 Forever GI Bill, the $1,200 would then be refunded as an attachment to their housing allowance. However, veterans who do not receive a housing allowance have not been receiving the $1,200 they are owed. Reclaiming these funds can be difficult, and many veterans lose out on this money. Sinema’s legislation ensures veterans may reclaim these payments by closing this loophole.