S. 342 · Where this bill is now
In committee
Introduced in the Senate, Jan 30, 2025
What this bill does
In plain words · AI-written from the official summaryLets Purple Heart recipients share education benefits
This bill lets Purple Heart veterans who served after September 11, 2001 share their unused GI Bill education benefits with family members like spouses or children. A veteran can transfer up to 36 months of benefits and can change their mind or take the transfer back by sending written notice. The law also protects transferred benefits in divorce cases and makes sure family members can still use the benefits even if the veteran passes away.
How it affects you
Purple Heart veterans who haven't used all their Post-9/11 GI Bill education benefits gain a new option to help their families pay for college or other education. Their spouses and children could use these transferred benefits to reduce the cost of their own education. The protections in this bill mean the transferred benefits stay protected if a veteran's marriage ends or if the veteran dies.
Read the official summary (Introduced in Senate, Jan 30, 2025)
Purple Heart Veterans Education Act of 2025
This 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.
Written by AI (Claude) using only the official summary by the Congressional Research Service, the Library of Congress’s nonpartisan research staff. It can miss nuance, so check the official summary and the bill text for details.
1st SessionS. 342
A BILL
Purple Heart Veterans Education Act of 2025
Sponsor: Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) · Introduced Jan 30, 2025 · Armed Forces and National Security · 1 version of the text
Sources: Congress.gov actions and votes · bill text from GovInfo · latest official action Mar 18, 2026: “Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.”