Colonel John M. McHugh Tuition Fairness for Survivors Act of 2021

Floor Speech

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Mr. MOORE of Alabama. Mr. Speaker, today, I rise in support of the Senate version of my bill, the Colonel John M. McHugh Tuition Fairness for Survivors Act.

Members of our military and their families sacrifice so much in service to our country. As a grateful Nation, we have accepted a responsibility to ensure that the educational needs of the survivors and dependents of our fallen heroes are provided for.

The Dependents Educational Assistance program currently provides $1,224 a month to eligible participants to help cover the costs of higher education. The program is available for survivors, dependents of certain servicemembers who died on Active Duty, or later found to be 100 percent service-connected disabled or died in a service-connected disability.

The Colonel John M. McHugh Tuition Fairness for Survivors Act would expand the DEA program benefits, requiring GI Bill eligible schools to extend in-State tuition benefits to beneficiaries of the Dependents Educational Assistance Program, bringing the rules for this program in line with the Post-9/11 GI Bill.

It is fitting that this bill bears the name of U.S. Army Colonel John McHugh. Colonel McHugh was tragically killed 11 years ago by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan. The loved ones left behind by this fallen hero have suffered unimaginable pain. The least we can do for his family and others like him is to honor our commitment to them and ensure their education is affordable. Colonel McHugh's family resides in my southeast Alabama district in Enterprise. It gives me great pride to name this bill in honor of the Colonel McHugh's legacy.

Mr. Speaker, this legislation is a commonsense solution to help our heroes' families meet their higher education goals. I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of this bill.

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