INTRODUCTION OF THE MAJOR GENERAL DAVID F. WHERLEY, JR., DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA NATIONAL GUARD RETENTION AND COLLEGE ACCESS ACT; Congressional Record Vol. 166, No. 48
(Extensions of Remarks - March 12, 2020)
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[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E313]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
INTRODUCTION OF THE MAJOR GENERAL DAVID F. WHERLEY, JR., DISTRICT OF
COLUMBIA NATIONAL GUARD RETENTION AND COLLEGE ACCESS ACT
______
HON. ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON
of the district of columbia
in the house of representatives
Thursday, March 12, 2020
Ms. NORTON. Madam Speaker, today, I introduce the Major General David
F. Wherley, Jr., District of Columbia National Guard Retention and
College Access Act (NGRCA). This bill is named for General Wherley,
former Commanding General of the D.C. National Guard, who, along with
his wife, Ann, and seven others were tragically killed when Metro
trains collided on the Red Line on June 22, 2009. This bill would
permanently authorize funding for a program that provides grants for
higher education to members of the D.C. National Guard, which is under
the control of the federal, not the District of Columbia, government. I
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 and to the National Guard.
The NGRCA authorizes an education incentive program, recommended by
General Wherley and his successor, Major General Errol Schwartz, to
stem the troublesome loss of D.C. Guard members to other units,
including National Guards in surrounding states that offer such
educational benefits to their Guards. I am grateful that Congress has
consistently provided funds for the program at our request, most
recently $413,000 in fiscal year 2020. Permanently authorizing the
program is necessary, however, to ensure that D.C. Guard members
receive the same treatment and benefits as other National Guard
members, particularly those in neighboring states that compete with the
District for members and provide these education benefits. Today, the
Guard for the nation's capital has a diminished ability to compete for
regional residents if membership in the Maryland or Virginia Guards is
more economically beneficial. A competitive tuition assistance program
for the D.C. Guard would provide a significant and much-needed
incentive to help maintain enrollment and level the field of
competition. The federal government supports D.C. Guard functions and
understands it should support this small benefit as well, because the
appropriators have always funded the D.C. Guard program, even without
authorization. However, depending on appropriations alone leaves the
D.C. Guard program in a tenuous condition at odds with the tuition
programs in nearby states. Because the program is not controversial,
there is no reason not to permanently authorize funding for these D.C.
National Guard education benefits.
I appreciate that the appropriators and ultimately Congress have not
hesitated to fund the education benefits for the D.C. National Guard.
This support argues strongly for permanent authorization. These small
education benefits 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 the possibility of a natural
disaster or terrorist attack. I am pleased to introduce this bill based
on the advice of Guard personnel, who best know what is necessary.
I urge my colleagues to support this bill.
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