Congressman Steve Womack (AR-3) released the following statement after the House Armed Services Committee (HASC) passed by a voice vote Congressman Steve Russell’s (OK-5) amendment to the fiscal year (FY) 2019 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). This amendment would permit individuals who are eligible for the Department of Defense tuition assistance program to use their benefits for licensing, credentialing, and certification programs, accomplishing the same goals as the Credentialing, Educating, and Relevant Training Initiative For Your (CERTIFY) Heroes Act (H.R. 4633), introduced by Congressman Womack on December 12, 2017. HASC subsequently voted the FY19 NDAA out of committee, 60-1, early this morning.

“HASC took an important step today to provide our men and women in uniform the necessary resources to succeed once they returning to civilian life. Expanding tuition assistance to cover a host of necessary licenses, certifications, and credentials will allow our service members to place themselves on a career path of success. I thank Congressman Russell for his leadership and rest of the cosponsors of the CERTIFY Heroes Act for their commitment to our troops. I welcome the NDAA’s consideration, with this important text included, by the whole of the House.”

Congressman Steve Womack has represented Arkansas’s Third Congressional District since 2011. He serves as the Chairman of the House Committee on the Budget and is a member of the House Appropriations defense, military construction-veterans affairs, and labor-health and human services subcommittees.

womack.house.gov

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