SEC. 2. DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA NATIONAL GUARD EDU-
CATIONAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 1611 of title 10, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing new section: 
‘‘§ 16402. District of Columbia National Guard edu-
cational assistance program 
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The commanding general of 
the District of Columbia National Guard shall provide fi-
nancial assistance to an eligible member of the District 
of Columbia National Guard for expenses incurred by the 
member— 
‘‘(1) while enrolled in an approved institution of 
higher education; and 
‘‘(2) to pursue the member’s first under-
graduate, masters, doctoral, vocational, or technical 
degree or certification. 
‘‘(b) ELIGIBILITY.—(1) A member of the District of 
Columbia National Guard is eligible to receive assistance 
under this section if the commanding general of the Dis-
trict of Columbia National Guard determines the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(A) The member has satisfactorily completed 
required initial active duty service. 
‘‘(B) The member is not receiving a Reserve 
Officer Training Corps scholarship. 
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‘‘(C) The member has entered into a written 
agreement to serve as a member of the District of 
Columbia National Guard for a period determined 
by the commanding general. 
‘‘(2) To maintain eligibility for assistance under this 
section, a member of the District of Columbia National 
Guard shall— 
‘‘(A) satisfactorily perform duty in the District 
of Columbia National Guard; 
‘‘(B) be enrolled on a full-time or part-time 
basis (seeking to earn at least three, but fewer than 
12 credit hours per semester) in an approved institu-
tion of higher education; and 
‘‘(C) maintain satisfactory progress in the 
course of study the member is pursuing, determined 
in accordance with section 484(c) of the Higher 
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1091(c)). 
‘‘(c) ASSISTANCE: AMOUNTS; TREATMENT.—(1) As-
sistance received by a member of the District of Columbia 
National Guard under this section may be used for— 
‘‘(A) tuition and fees charged by an approved 
institution of higher education involved; 
‘‘(B) the cost of books; and 
‘‘(C) laboratory expenses. 
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‘‘(2) The amount of assistance provided to a member 
of the District of Columbia National Guard under this sec-
tion may not exceed the following: 
‘‘(A) For tuition, $10,000 per year. 
‘‘(B) For books, $500 per year. 
‘‘(C) For fees and laboratory expenses, $500 
per year. 
‘‘(3) If the commanding general of the District of Co-
lumbia National Guard determines that the amounts avail-
able to provide assistance under this section in any year 
will be insufficient, the commanding general may reduce 
any maximum amount of the assistance authorized, or set 
a limit on the number of participants, to ensure that 
amounts expended do not exceed available amounts. 
‘‘(4) Except as provided in subsection (b)(1)(B), a 
member of the District of Columbia National Guard may 
receive assistance under this section in addition to edu-
cational assistance provided under any other provision of 
law. 
‘‘(5) A member of the District of Columbia National 
Guard who receives assistance under this section and who 
fails to serve for the period specified in an agreement de-
scribed in subsection (b)(1) or fails to comply with the 
eligibility conditions specified in subsection (b)(2) shall be 
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subject to the repayment provisions of section 373 of title 
37. 
‘‘(d) ADMINISTRATION; FUNDING.—(1) The com-
manding general of the District of Columbia National 
Guard, in consultation with approved institutions of high-
er education, shall develop policies and procedures for the 
administration of this section. Nothing in this section shall 
be construed to require an institution of higher education 
to alter any admission policy or standard to enable a mem-
ber of the District of Columbia National Guard to enroll 
in such institution. 
‘‘(2)(A) There are authorized to be appropriated such 
sums as may be necessary to carry out this section. Funds 
so appropriated shall remain available until expended. 
‘‘(B) The commanding general may accept the trans-
fer of funds from a Federal agency and use any funds 
so transferred for purposes of providing assistance under 
this section. There is authorized to be appropriated to the 
head of any executive branch agency such sums as may 
be necessary to permit the transfer of funds to the com-
manding general to provide assistance under this section. 
‘‘(C) The commanding general may accept, use, and 
dispose of donations of services or property to provide as-
sistance under this section. 
‘‘(e) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
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‘‘(1) The term ‘approved institution of higher 
education’ means an institution of higher education 
that— 
‘‘(A) is eligible to participate in the stu-
dent financial assistance programs under title 
IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
U.S.C. 1070 et seq.); and 
‘‘(B) has entered into an agreement with 
the commanding general of the District of Co-
lumbia National Guard containing an assurance 
that funds made available under this section are 
used to supplement and not supplant other as-
sistance that may be available for a member of 
the District of Columbia National Guard. 
‘‘(2) The term ‘institution of higher education’ 
has the meaning given such term in section 102 of 
the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
1002).’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 
at the beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting 
after the item relating to section 16401 the following new 
item: 
‘‘16402. District of Columbia National Guard educational assistance program.’’. 
(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—Financial assistance may be 
provided under section 16402 of such title, as added by 
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subsection (a), for a period of instruction that begins on 
or after January 1, 2025. 
Æ 
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