Tillis, Klobuchar Introduce Legislation To Cut Out-Of-Pocket Costs For National Guard Members Traveling To Training | Eastern North Carolina Now

    Press Release:

    WASHINGTON, D.C.     Today, U.S. Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) introduced bipartisan legislation to help service members 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.

    "12,000 citizen soldiers fill the ranks of the North Carolina Army and Air National Guard," Senator 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."

    "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," Senator 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."

    This legislation is supported by 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).

• Contact: Daniel Keylin
•     daniel_keylin@tillis.senate.gov