Recent changes to the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill benefit allow student-veterans attending private schools to receive up to $17,500 in tuition and fee payments from VA. However, student-veterans attending public schools are still only entitled to receive the highest in-state tuition and fee payments, regardless of whether or not they meet residency requirements for the state. As a result, many student-veterans who do not qualify for in-state tuition face significant out-of-pocket costs to attend the public school of their choice, unlike their counterparts whose education at a private school may nearly be fully financed.
In the letter, VFW Legislative Director Ray Kelley said that many times the nature of military life makes it difficult for veterans to establish residency in areas where they may choose to attend college.
"Servicemen and women must constantly move across the country and even around the world,which can prevent them from establishing domicile in any one state," said Kelley. "We must take these extenuating circumstances into account and offer an equitable benefit for veterans who choose to attend both public and private schools."
Butterfield's bill would extend the $17,500 reimbursement cap for student-veterans attending public schools who do not meet residency requirements for in-state tuition. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that 25,000-35,000 veterans are affected by this inequity, and closing the loophole could cost up to $134 million each year.
The VFW is scheduled to testify on H.R. 3483 and other pending legislation before the House Veterans Affairs Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity on Thursday, March 8.
To read the full text of Butterfield's bill, click here.
To read Butterfield's statement about the bill, click here.
The VFW played a critical role in passing the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill in 2008 and continues to have a vested interest in ensuring that today's student-veterans have an opportunity to use their benefits as intended to receive a quality education. Check back regularly with this blog for updates.
I am Ken Wiseman from the Department of Hawaii and I support this bill and appreciate the VFW's work on it. Being from North Carolina makes me happy since the sponsor is also from there. It is important that we help our veterans maximize their benifit and use the Post 9/11 GI BILL like our grandparents did with the original version. Since we move around alot in our time in service and tend to plant ourselves in new places, this "loop closure" can be a large step in the direction of helping veterans leave college debt free. Thanks for continuing the fight for veterans rights as this bill we directly help me in less than 170 days when I attend college.
ReplyDeleteI think that this should be an easy fix. Any state school a veteran or eligible dependents can get accepted to should not have to pay out of state fees. State schools that are funded by the government should accept these students and only require them to pay no more than the in-state tutiton fees regardless of the residency situation
ReplyDeleteI currently pay out of state tuition and I have to use federal financial aid to help cover it. I think its robbery. Im a combat veteran and have lived ALL over this globe. Why do I have to suffer once I had decided to get out and use my benefits in a state I wasnt from? I was just complaining about this very thing to my vet buddies less than an hour ago. This is a REAL problem for veterans!
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