Duckworth Helps Lead Bipartisan Push to Increase Veterans’ Access to Benefits, Encourage Participation in Apprenticeship Programs

Duckworth Helps Lead Bipartisan Push to Increase Veterans' Access to Benefits, Encourage Participation in Apprenticeship Programs

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined U.S. Senators Tim Sheehy (R-MT), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) and Kevin Cramer (R-ND) in leading a bipartisan push to increase access to Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits for Veterans pursuing apprenticeships. The Senators' Reducing Arbitrary Barriers to Apprenticeship Act would allow Post-9/11 GI Bill beneficiaries pursuing On-the-Job Training (OJT) or Apprenticeship (APP) programs to have access to the full monthly housing allowance (MHA) amount without a semiannual reduction and without a monthly work hour requirement.

"When our Veterans hang up their uniform, they deserve our full support as they transition back into civilian life, and that includes cutting unnecessary red tape that makes it harder for them to access the benefits they've earned," said Duckworth. "Our bipartisan legislation would support Veterans' employment by making Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits more widely accessible to Veterans pursuing apprenticeship or on-the-job training, encouraging broader participation in these life-changing programs."

In FY2022, more than 97,000 Veterans began using their Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits-but only 2 percent of beneficiaries use their benefits to pursue an OJT or APP program. While there may be several factors contributing to Veterans opting to use their benefits for something else, extraneous requirements and lack of access to full GI Bill benefits for OJT and APP programs make these options cost-prohibitive for many Veterans.

Unlike Veterans pursuing a traditional four-year university, Veterans pursuing an APP program have their MHA reduced by 20 percent every six months. With most APP programs taking about two years, Veterans in these programs will finish their program, receiving just 20 percent of the MHA that other GI Bill beneficiaries receive while also not receiving any kind of tuition payment.

Further, those pursuing APP programs must complete at least 120 hours of work per month, or their MHA will be further prorated. These 120 hours do not include any classroom training completed by the Veteran, which can average 16-30 hours depending on the program. In some programs, 120 hours every month is not feasible, such as trade work that is seasonal in nature or if construction work is slow in that geographical area.

The full text of the bill is available on Senator Duckworth's website.

Throughout her tenure in Congress, Duckworth has been a fierce advocate for Veterans and has worked to increase their access to resources and programs aimed at helping them start and grow their careers when transitioning back to civilian life. Duckworth's Veterans Small Business Enhancement Law is helping Veteran entrepreneurs start and grow small businesses by allowing Veteran small business owners to acquire equipment and personal property that the federal government no longer has a use for at little to no cost.

Duckworth has also pushed for hundreds of millions of dollars in funding to support apprenticeship programs in Illinois and across the country. Last year, she helped secure $285 million in Department of Labor (DOL) Apprenticeship Grants to support registered apprenticeship activities and encourage DOL to fund apprenticeship opportunities in local communities that have high rates of unemployment and high rates of community violence. The year prior, she announced nearly $20 million in funding for manufacturing and education apprenticeship programs in Illinois.

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