Maine Senator Introduces Bill to Study Low-Level Blast Injuries on Military Personnel
U.S. Sen. Angus King (I-Maine) unveiled a bill on Tuesday that would study the impact of “repetitive low-level blast injuries” on the military and how they could impact brain health. The bill, the Precision Health Research Act, co-sponsored by King and U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kansas) would be companion legislation to the Blast Overpressure Safety […]
After Mass Shooting, Bill Would Require Army to Use State Crisis Laws to Remove Weapons
PORTLAND, Maine — A bill that’s being introduced Monday after a mass shooting in Maine would require the Army to use state crisis intervention laws to remove the weapons of a service member who is deemed to be a serious threat to themselves or others, said U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, the bill’s sponsor. The Armed […]
Privatized Barracks Would Get Deeper Look Under House's Draft Defense Bill
As the military services flirt with the idea of privatizing more barracks to deal with deteriorating living conditions, a key House panel wants the Pentagon to study the issue more in depth. In its draft National Defense Authorization Act, or NDAA, released this week, the House Armed Services Committee calls on the Pentagon to deliver […]
Supreme Court Rules in Favor of Army Veteran Over Extended GI Bill Benefits
The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday ruled in favor of an Army combat veteran who sued the Department of Veterans Affairs over his eligibility for education benefits under the Montgomery GI Bill and Post 9/11 GI Bill. In a 7-2 decision, the court sided with James Rudisill, a veteran of Afghanistan and Iraq who argued […]
Barracks Habitability Standards Ordered by Recently Signed Defense Bill
The Pentagon will have to set military-wide standards for what makes barracks habitable under the defense policy bill that was signed into law late last week. Requiring minimum standards for habitability is one of several ways this year’s National Defense Authorization Act, or NDAA, seeks to improve barracks conditions, which have come under increasing scrutiny […]
US Military to Screen All New Recruits for Heart Conditions Under Must-Pass Annual Defense Bill
Beginning next year, the U.S. military is expected to screen all potential recruits for cardiac anomalies under a new program designed to reduce deaths at boot camp and beyond. The current version of the fiscal 2024 National Defense Authorization Act, expected to pass Congress this month, requires the Defense Department to launch a pilot program […]
Pennsylvania Bill Would Give Employers Tax Credit for Hiring National Guard Members
Hoping to incentivize employers to hire Pennsylvania National Guard members, state Sen. Tracy Pennycuick (R-Montgomery/Berks) introduced a bill to provide a $1,000 tax credit to employers who hire them. “The Pennsylvania National Guard is recognized as one of the finest National Guards in the nation, and it’s largely made up of part-time members who work […]
Supreme Court Accepts GI Bill Case That Could Affect 1.7 Million Veterans
The U.S. Supreme Court has decided to hear a case on the handling of Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits by the Department of Veterans Affairs — a proceeding that could provide additional education benefits for roughly 1.7 million veterans. The court announced Monday that it would hear the case, Rudisill v. McDonough, which argues that service […]
Lawmakers Look to Make Military Housing More Livable with Annual Defense Bill
Barracks would legally have to be considered habitable under one version of an annual defense policy bill advanced last week by the Senate Armed Services Committee, a move that could set a new higher standard of quality for the housing. The on-base military housing is now exempt from the legal requirements of basic habitability imposed […]
Gov. Whitmer Signs Bill Extending Tuition Assistance to National Guard Family Members
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed a bill to give tuition assistance benefits to spouses and dependents of National Guard members Saturday. House Bill 4199 expands eligibility for tuition assistance to National Guard members’ family members and increases the funding cap from $10 million to $15 million. The Michigan National Guard Tuition Assistance Program provides financial assistance for service members attending any public […]
