Purple Heart Veterans Education Act of 2025
Purple Heart Veterans Education Act of 2025
Plain Language Summary
# Purple Heart Veterans Education Act of 2025 Summary **What It Does:** This bill would allow Purple Heart recipients who served after 9/11 to transfer unused education benefits from the Post-9/11 GI Bill to their family members—such as spouses or children. Veterans could transfer up to 36 months of their unused educational benefits. The bill also protects these transferred benefits by preventing them from being considered marital property in divorce cases and allowing the benefits to remain usable even after the veteran's death. **Who It Affects:** The bill specifically targets Purple Heart veterans who were discharged or released from active duty after September 11, 2001. The main beneficiaries would be their eligible family members who could use these education benefits to pay for college or other approved education programs.
This is a way to extend educational support beyond the veteran to their loved ones. **Current Status:** The bill (S. 342) is currently in committee in the 119th Congress, sponsored by Senator Patty Murray (D-WA). It has not yet been voted on by the full Senate. The bill focuses on veterans' education benefits and family-related provisions.
CRS Official Summary
Purple Heart Veterans Education Act of 2025This bill authorizes certain Purple Heart recipients to elect to transfer to one or more eligible dependents (e.g., a spouse or child) unused portions of such recipients’ entitlement to Post-9/11 GI Bill educational assistance. This authority specifically applies to veterans who are awarded the Purple Heart for service in the Armed Forces occurring on or after September 11, 2001, and who have been discharged or released from active service.Under the bill, the total number of months of entitlement transferred by a Purple Heart recipient may not exceed 36 months. Additionally, the Purple Heart recipient may modify or revoke any unused portion of the transferred entitlement by submitting written notice.A transferred entitlement may not be treated as marital property or marital assets in divorce or other civil proceedings.The death of the Purple Heart recipient must not affect the use of the entitlement by the individual who receives the transferred entitlement.In the event of an overpayment of educational assistance, the Purple Heart recipient and the transferee of the entitlement must be held jointly and severally liable for the amount.The bill requires the VA and DOD to coordinate to facilitate the transfer of entitlements under the bill.
Latest Action
Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held.