{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://finstad.house.gov/2026/09/04/finstad-kennedy-introduce-the-reducing-arbitrary-barriers-to-apprenticeship-act-of-2026/", "Finstad, Kennedy Introduce the Reducing Arbitrary Barriers to Apprenticeship Act of 2026", "2026-09-04", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "House", "MN", "Brad Finstad", "F000475", "finstad.house.gov", "finstad", "https://finstad.house.gov/media", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Congressman Brad Finstad (MN-01) and Congressman Tim Kennedy (NY-26) introduced the Reducing Arbitrary Barriers to Apprenticeship Act of 2026, bipartisan legislation which increases access to GI Bill benefits for veterans pursuing apprenticeships or on-the-job training programs. Currently, veterans who are pursuing these programs have their monthly housing allowance reduced by 20% every six months. This legislation would ensure beneficiaries receive a full monthly housing allowance and there are no reductions based on semiannual reviews or monthly work hours. Companion legislation has been introduced in the U.S. Senate by Senator Tim Sheehy (R-MT) and Senator Elissa Slotkin (D-MI).\n\n\u201cVeterans sacrifice so much in defense of our freedoms and deserve access to the benefits they\u2019ve earned, regardless of their educational track or career goals,\u201d said Rep. Finstad. \u201cFour-year degrees aren\u2019t the only option, and oftentimes those pursuing other programs experience reduced allowances. That\u2019s why I\u2019m proud to join Congressman Kennedy in introducing the Reducing Arbitrary Barriers to Apprenticeship Act of 2026, ensuring veterans pursuing apprenticeships and on-the-job training programs have the GI Bill benefits they deserve.\u201d\n\n\u201cOur veterans deserve every opportunity to build a successful career following their service to our nation,\u201d said Rep. Kennedy. \u201cChoosing an apprenticeship or career in the skilled trades should never mean sacrificing hard-earned educational benefits simply because it does not follow the traditional four-year college track. This bipartisan bill removes barriers and ensures that our veterans can access the benefits they\u2019ve earned while building careers in the trades that strengthen Western New York and our entire country.\u201d\n\nBackground:", 1, "2026-09-05T08:49:07Z", "2026-09-05T08:50:44Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://finstad.house.gov/2026/09/04/finstad-kennedy-introduce-the-reducing-arbitrary-barriers-to-apprenticeship-act-of-2026/"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.3347701169550419, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}