S. 649 — Guard and Reserve GI Bill Parity Act of 2025

This section expands eligibility for educational assistance under the Post-9/11 GI Bill (chapter 33 of title 38, U.S. Code)—which provides tuition payments, a monthly housing allowance, and a books stipend to eligible service members based on length of qualifying service on or after September 11, 2001—by revising the definition of qualifying service in 38 U.S.C. §3301(1). Specifically, for reserve component members, it includes (1) service on active duty (10 U.S.C. §101(d)), inactive-duty training (10 U.S.C. §101(d)), or annual training duty; or (2) active duty under specified mobilization authorities (10 U.S.C. §§688, 12301(a), 12301(d), 12301(g), 12301(h), 12302, 12304, 12304a, 12304b; 14 U.S.C. §3713), excluding inactive-duty training or annual training; and for National Guard members, full-time National Guard duty or active duty (both as defined in 32 U.S.C. §101). The amendments take effect one year after enactment, apply retroactively to service on or after September 11, 2001, and are subject to the program's existing 15-year time limitation for using entitlement (38 U.S.C. §3321) as if enacted with the original Post-9/11 GI Bill (P.L. 110-252).