Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Accessing Military Education Benefits Act”.
Accessing Military Education Benefits Act
A BILL
To amend title 37, United States Code, to require the Secretary of Defense to ensure that members of the Armed Forces serving in a combat zone automatically receive the education benefits to which they are entitled.
Sec. 2 Department of Defense efforts to ensure operation of current prohibition on accrual of interest on direct student loans of members of the Armed Forces receiving imminent danger pay or hazardous duty pay
Members receiving imminent danger pay— Section 310 of title 37, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
“(f) No accrual of student loan interest for members serving in areas of hostilities—When a member is assigned to duty in an area for which special pay is available under subsection (a), the Secretary of Defense shall ensure that, if the member has any direct student loans, the member automatically obtains the benefits provided under section 455(o) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087e(o)). The Secretary may waive application of this subsection if the Secretary certifies that such application may adversely impact the national security interests of the United States.”
Members receiving hazardous duty pay— Section 351 of such title is amended—
by redesignating subsection (h) as subsection (i); and
by inserting after subsection (g) the following new subsection (h):
“(h) No accrual of student loan interest for members serving in areas of hostilities—When a member is assigned to duty in an area for which special pay is available under paragraph (1) or (3) of subsection (a), the Secretary of Defense shall ensure that, if the member has any direct student loans, the member automatically obtains the benefits provided under section 455(o) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087e(o)). The Secretary may waive application of this subsection if the Secretary certifies that such application may adversely impact the national security interests of the United States.”
Implementation— Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and House of Representatives a plan describing how the Secretary will implement the amendments made by this section to ensure that members of the Armed Forces automatically obtain the benefits provided under section 455(o) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087e(o)). Implementation of the plan shall commence not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act.