Each month, members of the National Guard travel to complete their required duty training, and they typically pay for travel out of their own pocket; Currently, members can only claim their mileage and other travel expenses on their taxes if they had to travel more than 100 miles from their residence for training or if travel expenses exceeded two percent of a soldier’s adjusted gross income
The Savings for Servicemembers Act would reduce the travel minimum to 50 miles, aligning treatment of the National Guard and Reservists with federal workers who have a 50 mile minimum for travel compensation, and help reduce the cost of service to those in the Guard and Reserves
WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Thom Tillis (R-NC) have introduced bipartisan legislation to help servicemembers save on travel expenses. Each month, members of the National Guard travel to complete their required duty training, and they typically pay for travel out of their own pocket. Currently, members can only claim their mileage and other travel expenses on their taxes if they had to travel more than 100 miles from their residence for training or if travel expenses exceeded two percent of a soldier’s adjusted gross income. The Savings for Servicemembers Act would reduce the travel minimum to 50 miles, aligning treatment of the National Guard and Reservists with federal workers who have a 50 mile minimum for travel compensation, and help reduce the cost of service to those in the Guard and Reserves.
“In Minnesota, 30 percent of all National Guard members travel more than 50 miles for training. Our servicemembers shouldn’t be burdened with costly travel expenses simply for completing their required duty training each month,” Klobuchar said. “Our bipartisan legislation will help reduce the cost of service and make a big difference for thousands of soldiers in the Minnesota National Guard.”
“12,000 citizen soldiers fill the ranks of the North Carolina Army and Air National Guard,” Tillis said. “In 2001, the first Army attack helicopter units to take the fight to al-Qaeda in Afghanistan were the soldiers of the 130th Aviation Regiment from Morrisville. Our military heritage is long and proud, and many of our Guardsmen travel hundreds of miles to serve. This legislation helps level the playing field and removes a fundamental unfairness from the system.”
This legislation is supported by the Minnesota National Guard and the National Guard Association of the United States. Original cosponsors of the legislation are Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Ed Markey (D-MA), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA).
Klobuchar has worked in a bipartisan manner to modernize G.I. Bill benefits for our troops and to strengthen funding veterans’ health care. She has also authored bipartisan bills on behalf of our nation’s veterans and their families to help veterans exposed to toxic burn pits, expand job training and employment opportunities, cut red tape and wait times for veterans scheduling appointments at VA Medical Facilities, and to reduce veterans’ homelessness.
