Brownley Introduces Legislation to Extend Educational Benefit Eligibility to Siblings of Fallen and Disabled Servicemembers

Washington, DC - Today, Congresswoman Julia Brownley (CA-26) announced the reintroduction of the Gold Star Siblings Educational Benefits Act, legislation that would extend educational benefits to the surviving siblings of fallen or permanently disabled servicemembers and veterans who are unmarried and without children.

"Too often, the educational benefits earned by our fallen or permanently disabled servicemembers go unused simply because they have no surviving spouse or children," said Congresswoman Brownley. "This bill closes that gap by ensuring surviving siblings, who directly share in the sacrifices military families make, are eligible to receive these benefits. This long-overdue, commonsense change honors the service of our nation's heroes and the families who make that service possible."

Background

Under current law, servicemembers and veterans may transfer educational benefits to a spouse or child if they meet one of the following criteria:

• Are permanently and totally disabled due to a service-connected disability;
• Died in the line of duty;
• Died as a result of a service-connected disability;
• Are missing in action or were captured by a hostile force for more than 90 days;
• Were forcibly detained or interned in the line of duty by a foreign entity for more than 90 days; or
• Are hospitalized or receiving outpatient treatment for a service-connected permanent and total disability and are likely to be discharged for that disability.

Currently, these benefits may only be transferred to a surviving spouse or child, leaving them unused when a servicemember or veteran is unmarried or has no children. The Gold Star Siblings Educational Benefits Act would correct this oversight by extending eligibility to surviving siblings.

The full text of the bill can be found here.

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Issues: 119th Congress, Veterans' Affairs