Welcome Home G.I. Bill Act of 2005

Bill: 109-s-1019
Sponsor: Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL]
Introduced: 2005-05-12 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Armed forces reserves
Disabled
Education
Health
Higher education
Home ownership
Housing and Community Development
Housing finance
Housing subsidies
Income tax
Iraq compilation
Medical screening
Medical tests
Medically uninsured
Military medicine
Military operations
Peacekeeping forces
Physical examinations
Post-traumatic stress disorder
Scholarships
Student loan funds
Tax exclusion
Taxation
Veterans' benefits
Veterans' education
Veterans' medical care

Summary:
action_date: 2005-05-12
text: 
Welcome Home G.I. Bill Act of 2005 - Increases and extends the duration of basic educational assistance for individuals who serve at least six consecutive months (with exceptions from the six consecutive months requirement due to medical, hardship, or involuntary separation ) on active duty outside the United States as part of a combat or contingency operation (including a humanitarian or peacekeeping operation) beginning on September 11, 2001, and ending five years after enactment of this Act. 
 
 Permits assistance use for student loan repayment. Provides for refund of educational contributions made under the Montgomery G.I. Bill program.
 
Increases and extends the duration of educational assistance for reserve component members called or ordered to active service in response to a war or national emergency who perform active duty service for 180 consecutive days before the five-year period beginning on the date of enactment of this Act. Permits assistance use for student loan repayment.
 
Provides $5,000 for a residential purchase downpayment for a veteran who: (1) performs active duty service outside the United States as part of a combat or contingency operation (including a humanitarian or peacekeeping operation) for at least six consecutive months (or a lesser time period for an individual with a service-connected disability) after September 11, 2001; and (2) has not previously obtained a veterans' guaranteed or insured housing loan. Makes such benefit available for five years from the date eligible service is completed.
 
Amends the the Internal Revenue Code to exclude such housing benefit from gross income.
 
Provides transitional health care benefits during the five-year period after separation from active duty for an individual who is not covered under an employer-provided or a spouse's employer-provided group health plan who: (1) serves in the active military, naval, or air service; (2) after September 11, 2001, is deployed outside the United States as part of a combat or contingency operation (including a humanitarian or peacekeeping operation) for at least six consecutive months (or a lesser time period for an individual with a service-connected disability); and (3) is discharged or released under conditions other than dishonorable.
 
Revises predeployment and postdeployment medical exam provisions.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2005-05-12
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2005-05-12
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S5108-5109)
action_date: 2005-05-12
text: Introduced in Senate