Senator Jon Ossoff (D-GA) recently co-sponsored the Purple Hearts Education Act to expand access to education for Purple Heart recipients and their families. The bill was introduced in January 2025 by Senators Patty Murray (D-WA) and Thom Tillis (R-NC) and has been stuck on the Senate floor ever since.
Under current policy, Purple Heart recipients can transfer GI benefits to their dependents while on active duty, but this excludes those who received their Purple Hearts after being discharged from the military.
Known as Senate Bill (S) 342, the bill authorizes certain Purple Heart recipients to elect to transfer to one or more eligible dependents (a spouse or child) unused portions of recipients’ entitlement to GI Bill educational assistance.
This entitlement 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.
The bill does have limitations, though. For example, 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 a written notice.
Under S 342, a transferred entitlement may not also 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.
Additionally, if an overpayment of educational assistance occurs, the Purple Heart recipient and the transferee of the entitlement must be held jointly liable for the amount.
Sen. Jon Ossoff commented on the good nature of this bill and expressed appreciation for being able to work with Republicans. He stated, “With this legislation, I am working across the aisle to ensure Georgia’s Purple Heart recipients can help their families get a good education.”
