Purple Heart Veterans Education Act of 2025
Sponsored By: Senator Murray, Patty [D-WA]
Introduced
Summary
Allows Purple Heart recipients from post‑9/11 service to transfer unused Post‑9/11 educational benefits to family members. Veterans awarded the Purple Heart for service on or after September 11, 2001 who were discharged can elect to transfer unused Post‑9/11 Educational Assistance to eligible dependents under federal dependent definitions, subject to a 36‑month limit and other timing rules.
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- Families and dependents gain access to transferred benefits to complete a secondary school diploma or pursue higher education. A child transferee can begin using benefits after finishing high school or at age 18 and generally cannot use transferred benefits after age 26, with a special caregiver exception for primary personal caregivers.
- Veterans can split and assign months of entitlement among one or more designated dependents and may modify or revoke transfers in writing. If the transferor dies before transferring all entitlement, remaining benefits are redistributed among eligible transferees who can use them.
- Transferees receive benefits on the same terms and monthly rate as the original entitlement. Each month used by a transferee counts as one month charged to the transferor and both transferor and transferee are jointly liable for any overpayment.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
GI Bill Transfer for Purple Heart Families
If enacted, a veteran awarded the Purple Heart for service on or after September 11, 2001 who has Post‑9/11 GI Bill entitlement would be able to transfer up to 36 months of unused benefits to one or more eligible dependents. A dependent would be paid at the same monthly rate the veteran would have received. Each month a dependent uses would reduce the veteran's remaining entitlement by one month. Child transferees generally could not start using benefits until they finish high school or turn 18, and generally could not use transferred benefits after age 26. A child who served as a primary caregiver before age 26 could get extra time to use benefits under rules the VA sets. The veteran could modify or revoke unused transfers in writing, transferred months would not be treated as marital property, overpayments could create joint liability, and the VA would coordinate rules with the Department of Defense.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Murray, Patty [D-WA]
WA • D
Cosponsors
Sen. Tillis, Thomas [R-NC]
NC • R
Sponsored 1/30/2025
Sen. Scott, Rick [R-FL]
FL • R
Sponsored 1/30/2025
Sen. King, Angus S., Jr. [I-ME]
ME • I
Sponsored 1/30/2025
John Boozman
AR • R
Sponsored 1/30/2025
Sen. Rosen, Jacky [D-NV]
NV • D
Sponsored 1/30/2025
Sen. Daines, Steve [R-MT]
MT • R
Sponsored 1/30/2025
Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR]
OR • D
Sponsored 1/30/2025
Sen. Cornyn, John [R-TX]
TX • R
Sponsored 1/30/2025
Sen. Kelly, Mark [D-AZ]
AZ • D
Sponsored 1/30/2025
Sen. Cramer, Kevin [R-ND]
ND • R
Sponsored 1/30/2025
Sen. Bennet, Michael F. [D-CO]
CO • D
Sponsored 1/30/2025
Sen. Ossoff, Jon [D-GA]
GA • D
Sponsored 9/11/2025
John Hoeven
ND • R
Sponsored 9/11/2025
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov