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Legislative News and Views - Rep. John Lesch (DFL)

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RELEASE: Legislative support for Minn. Guard & Reserve soldiers stalled; Lesch urges action

Saturday, May 21, 2016

St. Paul, Minn. – In the final week of the legislative session, HF 4009, a measure to support benefits for soldiers in the Minnesota National Guard and Reserve has yet to come to the floor for a vote in the House of Representatives. According to bill author Rep. John Lesch (DFL – St. Paul) failure to pass the bill could jeopardize the benefits of soldiers due to deploy to the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt.

“While our service members leave their families and ship off to these hostile environments, it’s a grave injustice that the benefits we promised them could be at risk,” Rep. Lesch said. “It’s up to us, as policymakers both on the state and federal level, to make clear to the Department of Veterans Affairs that we find any hold up of this due to an administrative loophole unacceptable.”

Under current law, many guard and reserve members have run into roadblocks enrolling in military health care, receiving GI Bill education support after coming home, or qualifying for earlier retirement. In a prior instance members of the Minnesota National Guard who were deployed to the Sinai Peninsula had their GI Bill applications rejected after returning home.

Because of the 12304b deployment authority, the Department of Veterans affairs has denied benefits because the soldiers are actively serving. However, deployments with similar responsibilities and risks that are as short as 90-days under different authorities do qualify for post-9/11 GI Bill benefits.

Rep. Lesch’s bill is a resolution calling on the U.S. Congress to pass 12304b Benefits Parity Act to expeditiously provide this eligibility. He is urging the House Majority to bring the bill up to the floor for a vote as soon as possible as the deadline for the legislature to pass bills is Sunday at midnight.