I 

113TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1631 

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. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

APRIL 18, 2013 

Mr. MARKEY introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 

Committee on Armed Services 

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. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Accessing Military 

5 Education Benefits Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE EFFORTS TO ENSURE 

2 OPERATION OF CURRENT PROHIBITION ON 

3 ACCRUAL OF INTEREST ON DIRECT STUDENT 

4 LOANS OF MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES 

5 RECEIVING IMMINENT DANGER PAY OR HAZ6 ARDOUS DUTY PAY. 

7 (a) MEMBERS RECEIVING IMMINENT DANGER

8 PAY.—Section 310 of title 37, United States Code, is 

9 amended by adding at the end the following new sub10 section: 

11 ‘‘(f) NO ACCRUAL OF STUDENT LOAN INTEREST FOR

12 MEMBERS SERVING IN AREAS OF HOSTILITIES.—When 

13 a member is assigned to duty in an area for which special 

14 pay is available under subsection (a), the Secretary of De15 fense shall ensure that, if the member has any direct stu16 dent loans, the member automatically obtains the benefits 

17 provided under section 455(o) of the Higher Education 

18 Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087e(o)). The Secretary may 

19 waive application of this subsection if the Secretary cer20 tifies that such application may adversely impact the na21 tional security interests of the United States.’’. 

22 (b) MEMBERS RECEIVING HAZARDOUS DUTY PAY.— 

23 Section 351 of such title is amended— 

24 (1) by redesignating subsection (h) as sub25 section (i); and 


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1 (2) by inserting after subsection (g) the fol2 lowing new subsection (h): 

3 ‘‘(h) NO ACCRUAL OF STUDENT LOAN INTEREST

4 FOR MEMBERS SERVING IN AREAS OF HOSTILITIES.— 

5 When a member is assigned to duty in an area for which 

6 special pay is available under paragraph (1) or (3) of sub7 section (a), the Secretary of Defense shall ensure that, if 

8 the member has any direct student loans, the member 

9 automatically obtains the benefits provided under section 

10 455(o) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 

11 1087e(o)). The Secretary may waive application of this 

12 subsection if the Secretary certifies that such application 

13 may adversely impact the national security interests of the 

14 United States.’’. 

15 (c) IMPLEMENTATION.—Not later than 90 days after 

16 the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 

17 Defense shall submit to the Committees on Armed Serv18 ices of the Senate and House of Representatives a plan 

19 describing how the Secretary will implement the amend20 ments made by this section to ensure that members of the 

21 Armed Forces automatically obtain the benefits provided 

22 under section 455(o) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 

23 (20 U.S.C. 1087e(o)). Implementation of the plan shall 


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1 commence not later than 180 days after the date of the 

2 enactment of this Act. 

Æ 


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