Collins, Klobuchar Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Support Children in National Guard and Reserve Families

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) introduced bipartisan legislation today to support children in National Guard and Reserve families. Currently, children of National Guard and Reserve members are excluded from the Military Student Identifier program, part of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), which requires states to identify students from military families in school records to ensure that schools and teachers know which students have parents in the military to help accommodate any additional needs. The Supporting Children of the National Guard and Reserve Act would amend ESSA to include children of National Guard and Reserve members.

“The hardworking men and women of our nation’s military make countless sacrifices to keep our communities safe, and the unique hardships military families face, such as deployments and frequent relocations, can be particularly challenging for children,” said Senator Collins. “This bipartisan bill would ensure that we have the information necessary to provide children of National Guard and Reserve members with the support and resources to succeed.”

“The children of National Guard and Reserve members have very similar experiences to the children of active duty servicemembers—they take great pride in their parent’s work, but also face hardships like frequent moves and parental deployments,” said Senator Klobuchar. “It’s not right that it’s harder for the children of National Guard and Reserves members to get the support they need in school. Our bipartisan legislation would help ensure that these kids receive the same care and assistance that all military-connected children do.”

In addition to being deployed during domestic emergencies and natural disasters, National Guard and Reservists often deploy to military installations around the world and made up a significant portion of the U.S. forces deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan. More than one million military-connected children face challenges associated with service, including frequent moves, parental deployments, and other issues related to parents who may be experiencing trauma associated with deployment.