Assemblyman Joe Borelli (R,C,I-South Shore) today stood with a bipartisan group of lawmakers in support of the Commitment to Military Education Act, a bill which Borelli is co-sponsoring. The bill calls for SUNY and CUNY schools to reduce tuition costs for active duty and reservist members of the military whose tuition assistance has been cut due to the federal government sequester.
“I don’t need to lecture anyone on the sacrifices and hardship our servicemen and women endure,” said Borelli. “We made a commitment to those who serve to protect our freedoms and, as a state, we are better than to allow this promise to go undelivered. As an adjunct professor at the College of Staten Island, a number of my students are and have been members of the military. The dedication these individuals bring to the classroom is exceptional. Should we fail to fulfill this undertaking, it would not only be a disservice to these troops, but to our society.”
The Army, Marine Corps, Air Force and Coast Guard all have announced that they will be suspending tuition assistance programs for active duty and reserve servicemen and women. The cuts come as part of the sequester-mandated reductions. The suspension means that troops currently enrolled in college classes and pursuing degrees will not have the funding to complete their programs. The tuition assistance program is a benefit that is often touted by recruiters.
Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis (R,C,I-Brooklyn, Staten Island), who is also a co-sponsor of the bill, said, “Our greatest duty as Americans is to support our heroes in the armed forces and do everything in our power to honor the sacrifices they make for our country. As the federal government remains in gridlock, this is the least we can do on the state level to help our servicemen and women obtain an affordable education. This is an issue that crosses party lines, and I am hopeful that the bipartisan support behind this measure will ensure that state government does right by its courageous veterans.”
The proposal would cover active duty and reserve personnel who are currently enrolled in SUNY or CUNY schools and using the military tuition assistance program. The state would provide tuition reductions that would match the missing tuition assistance. The tuition reductions would continue until the military reinstates the tuition assistance or the student graduates.
For video of Borelli’s comments at this morning’s press conference, follow the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=stO_1tzEPEU&feature=youtu.be.