H.R. 5149 — Introduced in House

I 118th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 5149 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES August 4, 2023Mr. Neguse introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services A BILL To direct the Secretary of Defense to carry out a pilot program to provide stipends to certain members separating from the Armed Forces. 1. Pilot program to provide a monthly stipend to certain recently separated members (a) Establishment Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, shall carry out a pilot program to provide a stipend to a covered individual. (b) Amount A stipend paid under this section to a covered individual shall be in an amount that the Secretary determines will pay for one month of food and housing for the household of such covered individual in the location where such household resides. (c) Payments A covered individual shall receive a stipend under this section once a month for the first four months following the separation of the covered individual from the Armed Forces. (d) Report Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and House of Representatives regarding the pilot program. Such report shall include the following: (1) The number of covered individuals paid a stipend under this section. (2) The average amount of such a stipend. (3) The effectiveness of the program in mitigating financial hardships of covered individuals. (4) A plan to make the pilot program permanent. (5) The recommendation of the Secretary whether to make the pilot program permanent. (e) Termination The pilot program shall terminate after operating for four months. (f) Definitions In this section: (1) The term covered individual means an individual— (A) who separates from the Armed Forces under honorable conditions after at least four years of service on active duty; and (B) whom the Secretary of Defense determines will experience financial hardship during the first 120 days following such separation. (2) The term dependent means a dependent registered under the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System. (3) The term household means a covered individual and all dependents of such covered individual who share a residence.