Moran wants study to cover tuition of House employees

Rep. Jim Moran (D-Va.) is set to introduce an amendment to an appropriations bill today that would call for a study into tuition reimbursement for House employees.

The House does not at present offer tuition reimbursement to employees. But Dan Beard, chief administrative officer of the House, has said that he would like to change the benefit structure in the lower chamber, and supports Moran’s amendment for that reason.
“It’s long overdue,” said Beard. “It’s kind of a mystery to me why it’s not available to House employees.”

{mosads}Beard said the benefit could particularly benefit younger employees.

“We should do everything possible to improve their professional skills and standards,” he said.

In an email to The Hill yesterday, Moran underscored his support for the measure, noting that both the executive branch and Capitol Police already have loan repayment and tuition reimbursement programs.

 “Many Hill staffers are in pursuit of a graduate degree at night while assisting Congress during the day,” said Moran. “Providing edu­cational benefits enticing them to stick around longer strengthens Congress’s institutional knowledge and helps raise the debate beyond politics to policy.”

The Moran amendment would require that Beard conduct a study of executive-branch tuition reimbursement programs and repayment programs for the U.S. Capitol Police. Six months after the amendment becomes law, Beard would be required to submit the results to the House Appropriations and House Administration committees.

Beard would also include a recommendation in the report on whether he would support a tuition reimbursement program and revisions to the House’s student loan repayment program.

A Moran spokesman said that the congressman would introduce the amendment only if the House Appropriations Committee’s legislative branch panel does not include such a provision in its spending bill.

For now, that language is not currently in the subcommittee’s bill, according to a spokesman for Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.), chairwoman of the legislative branch subcommittee. But the bill does direct the Library of Congress to establish a tuition reimbursement program, he added.

Under current practice, House employees may receive up to $6,000 a year for education loans they take out, but they are not eligible for direct tuition reimbursement.

By contrast, U.S. Capitol Police (USCP) employees are eligible for up to $40,000 in loan repayments, according to regulations on Capitol Police organization and administrative matters. The USCP chief of police may also establish a program to repay any portion of loans previously taken out by employees. They can also make direct payments to an educational institution or reimburse a participating employee for any portion of any tuition or related expenses.