S 489119th CongressIn Committee

Air Guard STATUS Act of 2025

Introduced: Feb 6, 2025

Standard Summary

Comprehensive overview in 1-2 paragraphs

S. 489, the Air Guard STATUS Act of 2025, would mandate the Secretary of the Air Force to create a permanent Tuition Assistance program specifically for members of the Air National Guard (ANG). This program would use the Authority in 10 U.S.C. § 2007 to pay, in full or in part, the tuition or related education expenses for ANG members who meet training requirements established under 32 U.S.C. § 502(a). The bill aims to standardize ANG education benefits with those available to other service members, offering ongoing support for higher education as a matter of federal policy. It is introduced in the Senate (as of the 119th Congress) and has not yet advanced through committee.

Key Points

1Establishes a permanent ANG tuition assistance program funded under 10 U.S.C. § 2007, covering all or part of tuition and related education expenses.
2Eligibility is limited to Air National Guard members who are in compliance with training requirements set forth in regulations under 32 U.S.C. § 502(a).
3The program is intended to standardize ANG benefits with those available to other military services, promoting parity in education support across services.
4The Secretary of the Air Force would be responsible for implementing the program, including regulatory details on eligibility, funding, and administration.
5The bill labels the measure as the Air Guard Standardizing Tuition Assistance To Unify the Services Act of 2025, signaling a broader goal of unifying education benefits across reserve/guard components.

Impact Areas

Primary group/area affected: Members of the Air National Guard seeking higher education opportunities; Air Force/Department of the Air Force administration of the program.Secondary group/area affected: Educational institutions that enroll ANG members; state ANG units that administer guard components; broader DoD budgeting and oversight.Additional impacts: Potential effects on ANG recruitment and retention, readiness by reducing financial barriers to education, budgetary implications for federal education benefits, and the alignment of ANG benefits with other services’ tuition assistance programs.

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