Rep. Lee Votes to Pass Bill to Ensure Reserve and National Guard Veterans Receive Equal Access to G.I. Benefits

WASHINGTON – Today, Rep. Susie Lee voted for the Guard and Reserve GI Bill Parity Act, which takes a strong step toward ensuring equal access to G.I. benefits. This bill will ensure that members of the National Guard and Reserve, who often serve side-by-side with their Active Duty counterparts yet do not currently receive the same access to vital G.I. bill benefits, are honored with the benefits they have earned and deserve.

"The men and women who serve in the Reserve and Nevada's National Guard make great sacrifices to keep us all safe," said Rep Susie Lee. "National Guard and Reserve Members have stepped up time and time again to serve our nation in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the January 6th Insurrection, national disaster response, the withdrawal from Afghanistan, and much more. But despite these sacrifices, they don't have the equal access to the GI Bill benefits they have earned. That's unacceptable, and that's why I was proud to vote to pass the Guard and Reserve GI Bill Parity Act to ensure that every day of service counts and our Guard and Reserve servicemembers receive the benefits they deserve."

Since the September 11th attacks, National Guard members and Reservists have become even more integral to America's national security strategy. Increasingly, these servicemembers are seeing heavier training schedules and more frequent deployments. Reserve troops often serve side-by-side with their Active Duty counterparts, and communities across the country have relied on National Guard deployments during the COVID-19 pandemic to help fight the deadly virus.

However, current law falls short of ensuring that National Guard members and Reservists accrue the vital education benefits they have earned for their increased workload. The Guard and Reserve GI Bill Parity Act closes eligibility gaps in the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill to ensure that members of the National Guard and Reserve have access to benefits that reflect their contributions to our national security.

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