Speech of Honorable Eleanor Holmes Norton - The Introduction of the Major General David F. Wherley, Jr., District of Columbia National Guard Retention and College Access Act
Floor Speech
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Mr. Speaker, today, I introduce the Major General David F. Wherley, Jr., District of Columbia National Guard Retention and College Access Act (NGRCA) on the six-year anniversary of the tragic June 22, 2009 Metro crash, where General Wherley, former Commanding General of the D.C. National Guard, his wife, Ann, and seven others were killed when Metro trains collided on the Red Line. Yesterday, the District of Columbia opened Legacy Memorial Park in Ward 4 to honor those who lost their lives and the 70 area residents who were injured. My bill would permanently authorize funding for a program that provides grants for higher education to members of the D.C. National Guard, which is funded by the federal government. I have renamed this bill after General Wherley because he worked tirelessly with me to get funding for the program for many years, and because of his devotion to the youth of the District of Columbia.
The NGRCA authorizes an education incentive program, recommended by the late General Wherley and his successor, Major General Errol Schwartz, to stem the troublesome loss of members of the D.C. Guard to other units. Surrounding states offer such educational benefits to their Guards. I am grateful that Congress has provided funds for the program in recent years, most recently in fiscal year 2015. Naming a permanently authorized program after General Wherley would memorialize his service to the country and to the Guard in a way that I know his family would appreciate. Authorizing funding is necessary to ensure that D.C. Guard members receive the same treatment and benefits as other National Guard members, particularly those in states that provide the higher education benefits we seek for D.C. Guard members. The Guard for the nation's capital has a limited ability to compete for regional residents, who may find membership in the Maryland and Virginia Guards more beneficial. A competitive tuition assistance program for the D.C. Guard will provide significant and much needed incentives to help maintain enrollment and level the field of competition. The D.C. Guard is a federal instrument not under the control of the mayor of the District of Columbia. The federal government supports D.C. Guard functions and should support this small benefit as well.
I appreciate that the Congress has not hesitated to fund the education benefits for the D.C. National Guard. These small education incentives have not only encouraged high-quality recruits, but have helped the D.C. Guard to maintain the force necessary to protect the federal presence here, including in the event of a natural disaster or terrorist attack. I am pleased to introduce the bill based on the advice of Guard personnel, who best know what is necessary.
I urge my colleagues to support the bill.
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