NORFOLK, Va. — A new bill in the House of Representatives aims to close the gap on Veterans Affairs (VA) home loan benefits for members in the National Guard and reserves.
The current law, which passed in 2020, expanded the eligibility for the VA Home Loan to National Guard service members performing "full-time National Guard duty" for at least 90 days, 30 of which are consecutive.
But U.S. Rep. Jen Kiggans, who represents Virginia's 2nd Congressional District, said the law created a gap for certain service members, making it harder to get full credit for their time served and access the home loan benefit.
The Expanding Home Loans for Guard and Reservists Act would fix that. Kiggans introduced the bill alongside Rep. Pat Ryan (NY-19).
“The men and women who serve in our National Guard and military reserves stand ready to deploy at a moment’s notice in defense of our freedoms,” Kiggans wrote in a news release.
“It’s unacceptable that – up until now – they have been denied full VA housing benefits. At a time when inflation and interest rates have greatly increased the difficulty of buying a home, our veterans should be able to access the full range of benefits that our country owes them for their service and sacrifice."