GI Bill to Include Rep. Takano Proposal to Fully Restore of Benefits for Veterans Harmed by Abrupt School Closures
Washington, D.C. – Today, Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.) applauded the decision by Chairman Phil Roe to include – in the bipartisan GI Bill proposal – his proposal to fully restore benefits for student veterans impacted by an abrupt school closure. The provision, which applies retroactively, will provide relief to the thousands of students veterans left with non-transferrable credits and depleted GI Bill benefits when schools shut down without warning, including ITT Technical Institute and Corinthian Colleges.
Rep. Takano, the vice chair of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, previously introduced this fix for student veterans in November 2015 and April 2017.
“By incorporating this proposal into the GI Bill legislation, we are restoring more than just GI Bill benefits for student veterans. We are restoring their opportunity to build a rewarding, purposeful, and prosperous civilian life,” said Rep. Takano. “While the original GI Bill legislation reinstated benefits for only the semester in which a school closed, this revision reflects and relieves the full burden placed on student veterans when their institution shuts down without notice.
“I appreciate Chairman Roe’s willingness to include this fix, which is particularly important to the many veterans in my district and across California who deeply affected by the sudden closure of Corinthian Colleges and ITT Technical Institute. I am also grateful for the effort made by Rep. Luke Messer (R-Ind.) and Sen. Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.) to push this proposal forward. Simply put, it is the right thing to do for America’s veterans.”
Press Contact
Josh Weisz, 202-225-2305