S. 342 — Purple Heart Veterans Education Act of 2025

This section establishes authority for veterans awarded the Purple Heart for service in the Armed Forces on or after September 11, 2001, to elect to transfer up to 36 months of unused Post-9/11 Educational Assistance (i.e., benefits under chapter 33, title 38, U.S. Code, including tuition, housing, and supplies) to one or more eligible dependents (i.e., a spouse, child, or dependent parent, as defined in 10 U.S.C. §1072(2)(A), (D), (I)). Transfers are designated by the veteran as to recipient and months; are modifiable or revocable at any time by written notice to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; and may not be treated as marital property. (As background, the Post-9/11 GI Bill generally allows transfers by certain servicemembers who commit to additional obligated service, which this provision does not require.) Dependent use is charged against the transferor's entitlement at a one-for-one monthly rate, payable at the same amount as to the transferor, and unaffected by the transferor's death (with any remaining entitlement upon death prior to full transfer distributed evenly among designated transferees not subject to age or time limits). A child transferee may not begin use before completing a secondary school diploma (or equivalency) or reaching age 18 and, except as provided for primary caregivers of seriously injured veterans, may not use benefits after age 26 (notwithstanding the program's standard 15-year delimiting period).