2022: Fitzpatrick Effectively Voted Against The Guard And Reserve G.I.
Bill Parity Act. In January 2022, according to Congressional
Quarterly, Fitzpatrick voted for the "motion to recommit the bill to the
House Veterans' Affairs Committee." The vote was on a motion to
recommit. The House rejected the motion by a vote 204-219. [House Vote
5, 1/12/22; Congressional
Quarterly, 1/12/22; Congressional
Actions, H.R.
1836]
2022: Fitzpatrick Effectively Voted Against The Guard And Reserve G.I.
Bill Parity Act. In January 2022, according to Congressional
Quarterly, Fitzpatrick voted against the "adoption of the rule (H Res
860) that would provide for floor consideration of the Guard and Reserve
GI Bill Parity Act (HR 1836) [...] It would provide for one hour of
general debate on each bill and floor consideration of two amendments to
HR 1836." The vote was on the adoption of the rule. The House adopted
the rule by a vote of 219-203. [House Vote 3,
1/11/22; Congressional
Quarterly, 1/11/22; Congressional
Actions, H.R.
1836;
Congressional Actions, H.Res.
860]
2022: Fitzpatrick Effectively Voted Against The Guard And Reserve G.I.
Bill Parity Act. In January 2022, according to Congressional
Quarterly, Fitzpatrick voted against the "motion to order the previous
question (thus ending debate and possibility of amendment) on the rule
(H Res 860) that would provide for floor consideration of the Guard and
Reserve GI Bill Parity Act (HR 1836) [...] It would provide for one
hour of general debate on each bill and floor consideration of two
amendments to HR 1836." The vote was on a motion to order the previous
question. The House agreed to the motion by a vote of 219-203. [House
Vote 2, 1/11/22;
Congressional Quarterly, 1/11/22;
Congressional Actions, H.R.
1836;
Congressional Actions, H.Res.
860]
2022: Fitzpatrick Voted To Provide Flexibility And Protections For
Veteran Educational And Vocational Rehabilitation And Training Benefits
If Such Benefits Were Negatively Impacted By A Declared Emergency, Such
As 4 Additional Weeks Educational Assistance Or Work-Study Or
Maintaining Benefit Eligibility If Veterans Withdrew From Programs Due
To The Emergency. In December 2022, according to Congressional
Quarterly, Fitzpatrick voted to concur with the Senate amendment to the
Veterans Auto and Education Improvement Act of 2022, which would
"provide certain flexibilities and protections for recipients of
Veterans Affairs Department educational and vocational rehabilitation
and training benefits whose studies or training are negatively affected
by an emergency situation declared by the president or the VA. Among
other provisions, it would allow the VA to provide four additional weeks
of educational or work-study assistance to individuals whose educational
programs are truncated, delayed, relocated, canceled or converted to
distance learning due to an emergency. It would specify that individuals
who withdraw from an educational program for reasons related to an
emergency --- such as illness, childcare needs or financial
hardship--would still be eligible to receive benefits related to the
program. It would specify that time during an emergency would not count
toward time limitations on when veterans may use their educational
benefits if the emergency prevents them from pursuing their chosen
program. The bill would also make disabled veterans eligible for vehicle
or other transportation assistance if more than 30 years have elapsed
since they last received such assistance or, in cases 10 years after the
bill's enactment, if more than 10 years have elapsed since they last
received such assistance. The bill would make several other changes to
VA educational and vocational training programs, including to clarify
benefit eligibility for individuals who receive a sole survivorship
discharge; outline processes for VA approval of study-abroad courses;
require the use of standardized applications for course approval; and
require the VA to provide not more than one business day of notice
before a targeted compliance survey of an educational program. It would
also allow servicemembers to terminate utilities contracts and provide
for the transfer of professional licenses of servicemembers and their
spouses if they are ordered to relocate. As an offset, it would extend
the limitation on pensions paid to veterans without dependents who are
in residential care an additional three years, through Nov. 30, 2031."
The vote was on a motion to concur. The House concurred with the Senate
by a vote of 380-35, thus the bill was sent to President Biden and it
ultimately became law. [House Vote 546,
12/22/22; Congressional
Quarterly, 12/22/22;
Congressional Actions, H.R.
7939]
2022: Fitzpatrick Voted For Specifying That The Accrued G.I. Bill
Benefits Through Training Before August 1, 2025 Would Expire By August
1, 2040 And Benefits Thereafter Would Not Expire. In January 2022,
Fitzpatrick voted for the Guard and Reserve G.I. Bill Parity Act of 2021
which would, according to Congressional Quarterly, "specify that such
benefits accrued through training before Aug. 1, 2025, would expire by
Aug. 1, 2040, while benefits accrued through training after that date
would not expire." The vote was on passage. The House passed the bill by
a vote of 287-135. [House Vote 6,
1/12/22; Congressional
Quarterly, 1/12/22; Congressional
Actions, H.R.
1836]
2022: Fitzpatrick Voted For Expanding G.I. Bill Benefits For The
National Guard And Reserve By Considering Training As Qualified Service
Regarding Educational Aid. In January 2022, Fitzpatrick voted for the
Guard and Reserve G.I. Bill Parity Act of 2021 which would, according to
Congressional Quarterly, "expand GI Bill benefits for National Guard and
Reserve members by including their training as eligible service with
respect to educational assistance." The vote was on passage. The House
passed the bill by a vote of 287-135. [House Vote 6,
1/12/22; Congressional
Quarterly, 1/12/22; Congressional
Actions, H.R.
1836]
The Bill Would Include Training Days When Determining The G.I.
Bill Benefits For The National Guard And Reserve Troops, Closing The
Gap Between Them And Active Duty Members. According to
Congressional Quarterly, "The first of the pair (HR 1836) would
enable National Guard and Reserve troops to count training days when
determining the amount of their GI bill benefits, on par with active
duty servicemembers." [Congressional Quarterly,
1/10/22]
The Bill Would Include Training Hours To Count Toward Time
Eligibility For Educational Assistance Under The G.I. Bill, So
Reservists Would Be Able To Count Annual Trainings, Weekend Drills,
And Certain Missions Towards The Eligibility Requirements.
According to Congressional Quarterly, "The House on Wednesday
passed, 287-135, a bill (HR 1836) that would count certain training
hours for reservists toward the time that earns them educational
benefits under the Post-9/11 GI Bill. That law (PL 110-252) provides
U.S. military personnel the ability to access money for tuition,
housing and other expenses, depending on the servicemembers' length
of service. Military personnel who net 36 months or more on active
duty can get about $100,000 in such benefits. Reservists who are
called to active duty for certain missions can earn hours needed to
make them eligible for those GI Bill benefits. But the measure the
House passed Wednesday, by California Democrat Mike Levin, would for
the first time count annual training and weekend drills by National
Guard and Reserves forces toward that service-time tally."
[Congressional Quarterly,
1/13/22]
Under Current Law, National Guard And Military Reservists Do Not
Accumulate The Same Benefits At Active-Duty Members. According to
The Hill, "National Guard and military reservists currently don't
accrue the same benefits as their active-duty counterparts under the
GI Bill, which helps qualifying veterans and their family members
pay for higher education." [The Hill,
1/12/22]
The Bill Would Include Federal Missions And Training Days As
Eligible Service Towards G.I. Benefits For The Guard And Reserve.
According to The Hill, "The legislation approved by the House would
eliminate that disparity by allowing all federal missions, as well
as training days in uniform, to count toward GI benefits for
National Guard and Reserve troops." [The Hill,
1/12/22]
According To The Congressional Budget Office, This Bill Would Help
More Than 40,000 National Guard And Reserve Troops Increase Their
Eligibility For Benefits. According to The Hill, "Based on data
from the Department of Veterans' Affairs, the Congressional Budget
Office estimated that the increased eligibility under the bill would
affect more than 40,000 National Guard and Reserve troops." [The
Hill,
1/12/22]
The Republicans Who Opposed The Bill Claimed The Expansion Of
Eligibility For Benefits Would Increase Costs. According to The
Hill, "But other Republicans argued that allowing training to count
toward accruing GI benefits would drive up costs." [The Hill,
1/12/22]
2022: Fitzpatrick Voted For Offsetting The Bill By Delaying Certain
Rate Reductions In 2031 And Raising Rates For Interest Rate Reduction
Refinancing Loans Closed From July 1, 2022 Through September 30, 2030.
In January 2022, Fitzpatrick voted for the Guard and Reserve G.I. Bill
Parity Act of 2021 which would, according to Congressional Quarterly,
"modify borrower fee rates for certain VA housing loans by delaying
certain scheduled rate reductions for several months in 2031 and
increasing rates for interest rate reduction refinancing loans closed
from July 1, 2022, through Sept. 30, 2030." The vote was on passage. The
House passed the bill by a vote of 287-135. [House Vote 6,
1/12/22; Congressional
Quarterly, 1/12/22; Congressional
Actions, H.R.
1836]
2022: Fitzpatrick Voted For An Amendment That Would Temporarily Raise
Borrower Fee Rates For Veterans Affairs Rate Reduction Housing
Refinancing Loans To Expand G.I. Bill Benefits For The National Guard
And Reserve. In January 2022, Fitzpatrick voted for an amendment to
the Guard and Reserve G.I. Bill Parity Act of 2021 which would,
according to Congressional Quarterly, "strike the bill's text and
replace it with provisions that would expand GI Bill benefits for
National Guard and Reserve members by including certain mandatory drills
and field exercises, not including training, as eligible active-duty
service with respect to educational assistance. As an offset, it would
temporarily increase borrower fee rates for VA interest rate reduction
housing refinancing loans." The vote was on the adoption of an
amendment. The House rejected the amendment by a vote of 198-225.
[House Vote 4, 1/12/22;
Congressional Quarterly, 1/12/22;
Congressional Actions, H.Amdt.
152;
Congressional Actions, H.R.
1836]
2022: Fitzpatrick Voted For Providing New Veterans With Proper
Information Over Their Eligibility For Medical Care, Including Care
Provided Through Community Providers, Mental Health And Military Sexual
Trauma Care. In January 2022, Fitzpatrick voted for the Guard and
Reserve G.I. Bill Parity Act of 2021 which would, according to
Congressional Quarterly, "also require the Veterans Affairs Department
to provide new veterans with information regarding medical care they are
eligible for through VA benefits, including care provided through
community providers, mental health care and military sexual trauma
care." The vote was on passage. The House passed the bill by a vote of
287-135. [House Vote 6,
1/12/22; Congressional
Quarterly, 1/12/22; Congressional
Actions, H.R.
1836]