Blumenthal & Colleagues Celebrate Supreme Court's Ruling Upholding Educational Benefits for Veterans

[HARTFORD, CT] – Today, Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) celebrated the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in Rudisill v. McDonough, Secretary of Veteran Affairs.

The Court ruled 7-2 in favor of James Rudisill and held that veterans who served multiple tours have the right to access all educational benefits that they are entitled to under the Post-9/11 GI Bill and the Montgomery GI Bill. The ruling follows an amicus brief led by Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan (VA-04) and Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) and joined by Senator Blumenthal and 13 of his colleagues in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives.

“This landmark decision will be life-changing for thousands of post and pre-9/11 veterans. The Supreme Court ruling guarantees that James Rudisill and other veterans of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq will have full access to the educational benefits they earned when they volunteered to go to war,” said Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT). “We have a sacred obligation to care for those who bore the battle when they return home and this decision reaffirms that promise.”

“James Rudisill represents the very best of our Commonwealth and served our country with honor and distinction. I am thrilled the Supreme Court ruled in his favor and upheld his right to access the benefits he was promised and rightfully deserves,” said Rep. McClellan. “This ruling is a win for Mr. Rudisill and the more than 1.7 million veterans eligible for both the Montgomery GI Bill and the Post-9/11 GI Bill. I was honored to join Senator Kaine in leading an amicus brief to the Court. I will always fight to ensure our servicemembers and veterans have access to the resources they need.”

“Our veterans sacrificed so much to keep our country safe, and we owe it to them to keep our word and administer the benefits they were promised in return,” said Sen. Kaine. “I commend today’s Supreme Court decision in favor of Virginia veteran James Rudisill, who was denied the full benefits he earned under the G.I. bill. I am proud to have led a bipartisan, bicameral group of my colleagues in submitting an amicus brief in support of Mr. Rudisill’s case and will continue to do all I can through my work on the Senate Armed Services Committee to advocate for servicemembers, veterans and their families.”

FBI Special Agent Rudisill is a Richmond, VA resident, who served in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan during three periods of active-duty military service: 2000 to 2002 as an enlisted member and 2007 to 2011 as a commissioned officer. After completing his first tour, Rudisill applied for – and received – education benefits under the Montgomery GI Bill to complete his undergraduate degree. Following his subsequent periods of service, Rudisill applied for additional education benefits through the post-9/11 GI Bill in order to attend divinity school and return to the Army as a minister. The Department of Veterans Affairs unfairly denied him the benefits he was promised, and Rudisill forfeited his offer to divinity school as a result.

In August, Senator Blumenthal supported a bipartisan, bicameral group of lawmakers, led by Congresswoman McClellan and Senator Kaine, to submit an amicus brief to the Supreme Court in support of Rudisill. In the House, Reps. Jennifer McClellan, Gerry Connolly (VA-11), Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), Raúl Grijalva (AZ-07), Henry C. “Hank” Johnson (GA-04), Stephen Lynch (MA-08), Grace Meng (NY-06), Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), Abigail Spanberger (VA-07), Glenn “GT” Thompson (PA-15), Jennifer Wexton (VA-10), and Robert Wittman (VA-01) joined the brief. In the Senate, Sens. Richard Blumenthal, Tim Kaine, John Fetterman (D-PA), and Mark Warner (D-VA) joined the brief.

Read the Supreme Court’s majority opinion here.

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