SIGNED INTO LAW: Senators Hassan and Hyde-Smith’s Bipartisan Legislation to Benefit National Guard, Reserve Students

WASHINGTON, D.C. – In case you missed it, the annual defense bill signed into law earlier this week includes bipartisan legislation from U.S. Senators Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS) to ensure that students who serve in the National Guard or Reserves will be guaranteed readmission to their schools following a mobilization.

“Students in the Reserves and the National Guard sacrifice to serve their communities and our country, and they shouldn’t have to jeopardize their spot in school because they were called to duty,” said Senator Hassan. “I am pleased that the latest national defense bill provides a measure that will ensure that student National Guard and Reserve members who are mobilized for short missions will have the security of knowing that their spot in school will be waiting for them.”

“Many Guard and Reserve deployments last fewer than 30 days, putting numerous students who have volunteered to serve our nation at risk of having their educational pursuits derailed,” Hyde-Smith said. “I’m pleased the FY2025 NDAA includes an overdue fix to this problem.”

The SERVE Act removes a “more than 30 days” stipulation in the law that only requires colleges and universities to readmit servicemembers who are deployed for more than 30 days. Prior to this bill, National Guard and Reserve members mobilized for fewer than 30 days were not universally entitled to be promptly readmitted.

###