Congressional Activity
Veterans Education Success thanks our Congressional allies who introduce bills, hold hearings, and write letters to federal agencies to do the right thing for military-connected students!
Letters
March 2019 Letter from nearly half of all US Senators to US Consumer Financial Protection Bureau calling for enforcement of the Military Lending Act (here)
Dec. 2018 Letter from Rep. Mark Takano (D-CA) to US Education Department urging disaggregation of “student services” financial reporting data by colleges (here)
Dec. 2018: Letter from Senators to US Veterans Affairs Secretary Wilkie regarding veterans’ rights when their schools close (here)
December 2018: Letter from Senators and Incoming House Veterans Affairs Committee Chairman asking the Education Department to Release 90/10 Data on Schools’ Targeting Veterans (click here)
March 2018: Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Grassley examines lax oversight of "visa mills" offering visas to foreign students (click here)
Jan. 2017: Senator Blumenthal urges VA Secretary Shulkin on better oversight of GI Bill (click here)
Jan. 2017: Senator Carper letter to VA Secretary Shulkin on veteran student loan debt (click here)
Dec. 2017: Senators Reed and Durbin ask Defense Secretary Mattis to Release Contracts Between For-Profit Colleges and Military Installations (letter here).
Nov. 2017: Senators urge Defense Secretary Mattis to warn servicemembers attending Ashford and to cease new enrollments (click here)
Nov. 2017: Senators urge VA Secretary Shulkin to warn GI Bill students attending Ashford (click here)
Nov. 2017: Senators Urge Federal Trade Commission to Strengthen Settlement Terms with Victory Media/ "Military Friendly Schools" (click here)
Nov. 2017: Senators Write VA Secretary Shulkin to Uphold Protections Against For-Profit College Corruption Following VA Decision to Back Down From Blanket Ethics Waiver (click here)
Oct. 2017: Sen. Murray and Colleagues Question Decision by VA Secretary Shulkin to Weaken Protections for Veterans from Predatory For-Profit Colleges; Ask for Immediate Suspension (news release here, letter here)
Oct. 2017: Sen. Carper urges VA Secretary to rescind proposal to allow VA employees to receive financial benefits from for-profit colleges (click here).
July 2017: The American Legion Encourages Congress to Close the 90/10 Loophole (July 2017) (click here).
Veterans tell Rep. Mike Coffman (R-CO) (seated at left) how they were defrauded out of their GI Bill, joined by ves' veterans advocate tyson manker (2nd from left) (july 2017)
June 2017 Senators and Congressmen Write to Accreditors: Concern EDMC is Flouting Accountability Measures.
June 2017 Senators' Letter to Education Secretary Betsy DeVos Requesting Protection of Students' Right to "Borrower Defense" (forgiveness of student loans for defrauded students)
June 2017 Veterans & military organizations ask Congress to expand GI Bill
VES Legal director sean marvin (l) & yale law school veterans legal services clinic students tell house veterans affairs committee about their findings of predatory college treatment of veterans (may 2017)
May 2017 Bipartisan Letter to Education Dept. Requesting Action on Defrauded Students' (especially Veterans') Right to "Borrower Defense" from Nevada Senators Cortez Masto and Heller (and press release)
Nov. 2016 Sen. Durbin Testimony on DOD MOU Oversight to the Senate Armed Services Committee
September, 2016 Rep. Takano Asks his Colleagues to Help Student Veterans Facing ITT Closure
July, 2016 Senators Call For Development of Consumer Warning System to Alert Consumers to Deceptive Practices
June, 2016 31 Senators Call On Education Secretary To Strengthen The 90/10 Rule
May, 2016 Veterans and Military Organizations Ask Senator Manchin to Keep Protections in Place to Prevent Fraudulent and Deceptive Recruiting on Base (and a separate letter from twelve state Attorneys General)(an explanatory Q&A on the amendment)
May, 2016 Veterans and Military Organizations Ask Senators McCain and Reed to Keep Protections in Place to Prevent Fraudulent and Deceptive Recruiting on Base (2016)
March, 2016 Senator Carper Seeks Information on VA Efforts to Assist Veterans Harmed by Closure of For-Profit Colleges
July, 2015 Senators Call On Defense Department To Disclose For-Profit College Investigations
July, 2015 Sen. Murray Urges VA Secretary to Investigate Allegations Concerning G.I. Bill Benefits
July, 2013 Veterans & Military Organizations Ask Congressional Appropriators to Better Protect Defense Department Education Funds (as well as a Letter from The American Legion to Sen. Durbin and an American Legion Letter to Sen. Cochran)
Rep. mark takano mEETS with VES and student veterans from community colleges nationwide, June 2016
SEN. TOM CARPER & SEN. RICHARD BLUMENTHAL JOIN STUDENT VETERANS, VES, SVA & IAVA FOR A PRESS CONFERENCE ON THE 90/10 LOOPHOLE LEGISLATION, june 2016
VES policy director Walter Ochinko Speaks at 90/10 press conference with sen. carper, sen. blumenthal, and student veterans, june 2016
Student veterans, along with VES Policy Director walter ochinko, and representatives of student veterans of america and iraq & afghanistan veterans of america, meet with Senate offices (June 2016)
Laws Successfully Enacted
Veterans Benefits and Transition Act of 2018 (click here) passed unanimously both the House and Senate at the end of December 2018, signed into law January 2019.
Sec. 103 forbids schools from forcing GI Bill students to pay penalties or late fees or denies them access to classes, libraries, and facilities if VA payment is late (“Forever GI Bill Housing Payment Fulfillment Act” a.k.a. “SIT-REP”);
Sec. 102 provides GI Bill students with proof of their housing allowance to meet landlord requirements;
Sec. 105 aligns monthly housing allowance for high tech pilot with rest of GI Bill programs;
Sec. 504 requires VA to study and begin addressing VA’s debt collection practices of clawing back GI Bill from students.
Ethics Law to Prohibit For-Profit Colleges From Giving VA Employees Gifts, Stock, Dividends, Salaries, etc. cleared Congress in September 2018, as section 302 of S.3469 (click here).
Speaker Paul Ryan & Sen. Patty Murray Evidence-Based Policymaking Act (click here)
HR 3218: "Forever GI Bill" Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2017 (signed into law Aug. 2017 as Public Law 115-48), incorporating:
Reinstatement of GI Bill for veterans whose school closed (section 109) (based on HR 1216: Protecting Veterans from School Closures Act of 2017 and Veterans Education Relief and Reinstatement Act)
Provision to ensure colleges do not manipulate veterans’ housing allowance (section 107)
Quality controls on GI Bill for coding boot camps (Sec. 116)
Quality controls on GI Bill for independent study (Sec. 302)
Tracking student outcomes (Sec. 114)
HR 1379 (to expand GI Bill to cover all Purple Heart recipients)
HR 1384: Reserve Component Benefits Parity Act (to expand GI Bill to cover all National Guard and Reserve Guard orders, especially 12304a and 12304b orders)
HR 2103: Julian Woods Yellow Ribbon Program Expansion Act (to expand Yellow Ribbon to GI Bill beneficiaries who are children or spouses of service members who died in the line of duty)
Career Ready Student Veterans Act - House of Representatives - passed unanimously Feb. 9, 2016
Career-Ready Student Veterans Act - Senate - passed unanimously Dec. 10, 2016, as part of Public Law 114-315 (Miller-Blumenthal Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2016)
10 U.S.C. 2006a, 2014 National Defense Authorization Act s. 541 - signed into law Dec. 2013
Improving Transparency of Education Opportunities for Veterans Act of 2012 - signed into law Jan. 2013
Current Bills
Higher Education Act Reauthorization
2019 VES Submission to Senators on the Needs of Students of Color (click here)
2018 Senate Republican Committee white paper (click here)
2018 Senate Democratic Committee principles (click here)
2018 House Republican Committee bill (click here)
US Defense Department position paper opposing 2018 House bill (click here)
US Navy position paper opposing 2018 House bill (click here)
VES' Statement for the Record on Senate white paper 2018 (click here)
33 Veterans & Military Leaders' letter to House leaders opposing House PROSPER Act (click here)
36 Veterans & Military Leaders' letter to Senate leaders on Senate white paper (click here)
Veterans & Military Leaders' leave-behind wish list for HEA (click here)
VFW letter to Chair & Ranking of Senate & House Education Committees (available upon request to VFW)
2018 Student Veterans of America letter (click here)
2018 US Education Dept. Office of Inspector General letter on Higher Education Act (click here)
Big 10 student government association leaders oppose House PROSPER Act (click here)
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's Arbitration Protection Rule
The Military Coalition's Letter to Congress to protect the Arbitration rule (click here)
The American Legion Resolution in Favor of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's Rule (Aug. 2017) (click here)
Consumer Federation of America: Fact: Financial Companies Deny Military Families Their Day in Court (click here)
Protecting Financial Aid for Students and Taxpayers Act (to stop schools from spending federal student aid on marketing and advertising)
Military and Veteran Education Protection Act (to close the 90/10 loophole)
The Protecting Our Students and Taxpayers Act (to close the 90/10 loophole and restore it to 85/15)
Hearings
June 19, 2019, House Committee on Veterans Affairs, Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity - Hearing on Closed Schools. VES’ Statement for the Record (here)
June 4, 2019, House Committee on Veterans Affairs, Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity - Hearing on Evaluating the Effectiveness of VA Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Programs
May 15, 2019, House Committee on Veterans Affairs, Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity - Hearing on Closed Schools
April 24, 2019: House Committee on Veterans Affairs, Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity - Field Hearing in San Diego, CA: “Protecting Those Who Protect Us: Ensuring the Success of our Student Veterans.”
April 10, 2019: Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions: Reauthorizing the Higher Education Act: Strengthening Accountability to Protect Students and Taxpayers.
April 9, 2019: House of Representatives Committee on Veterans Affairs: Legislative Hearing on Pending and Draft Legislation. VES’ Statement for the Record is here.
April 3, 2019: House of Representatives Committee on Education and Labor: Strengthening Accountability in Higher Education to Better Serve Students and Taxpayers. Joint Statement for the Record from VES and Student Veterans of America (here)
March 12, 2019: House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies hearing: Oversight of For-Profit Colleges: Protecting Students and Taxpayer Dollars from Predatory Practices. Testimony of Navy Veteran Eric Luongo, whom VES is helping, here.
March 7 and 12, 2019: Joint Senate-House Veterans Affairs Committee Hearing on Legislative Priorities for the 116th Congress. VES’ Statement for the Record is here. Student Veterans of America Statement is here. Jewish War Veterans Statement is here.
March 2019: House Financial Services Committee hearing on Military Lending Act and payday lenders targeting servicemembers. VES’ Statement for the Record is here. Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society aid to servicemembers impacted by payday loans is here.
November 2018: House Veterans Affairs Committee hearing on VA’s delays in GI Bill housing allowance payments. VES’ Statement for the Record is here.
November 2017: House Veterans Affairs Committee hearing on a Review of the Interagency Transition Assistance Program and the Need for Outcome Measures. VES' Statement for the Record is here.
October 2017: House Veterans Affairs Committee hearing on flight school tuition cap, among other topics. VES' Statement for the Record is here.
July 2017: House Veterans Affairs Committee hearing: HR 3218, Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2017. Here is VES' Statement for the Record.
June 2017: Senate Veterans Affairs Committee hearing: Pending Legislation including witness testimony and veterans & military organization submissions. Here is VES Statement for the Record.
June 2017: House Veterans Affairs Committee hearing: Improving the Quality and Timeliness of GI Bill Processing for Student Veterans (video). Documents here.
VES Statement for the Record on Legislative Priorities for the 115th Congress.
January 2017: VA Secretary Nominee David Shulkin (commits to protecting veterans from deceptive, predatory colleges at minutes 1:28:24 and 1:30:37 in this C-Span video)
November 2016: U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee Hearing: Defense Department Actions Concerning Voluntary Education Programs (also Chairman's oversight report; VES letter; and veterans & military organizations' 2013 public comment on Defense Department Voluntary Education MOU)
October 2016: VES Testimony before the Evidence-Based Policy Commission
May 2015: VES Statement for the Record HVAC Legislative Hearing on the GI Bill Oversight Act of 2016
September 2015: VES Statement for the Record SVAC Legislative Hearing on S. 1938 Career Ready Student Veterans Act
June 2015: VES Statement for the Record HVAC Legislative Hearing on H.R. 2360 Career Ready Student Veterans Act
March 2015: VES Statement for the Record HVAC hearing on veteran higher education opportunities
July 23, 2013: U.S. Senate Hearing: The 90/10 Rule: Improving Educational Outcomes for Our Military and Veterans
June 12, 2013: U.S. Senate Hearing: Deceptive Recruiting of Service members (including testimony by a whistleblower former college recruiter)
May 16, 2012: U.S. House Veterans Affairs Committee: Examining Executive Order #13607 and Its Impact on Schools and Veterans
March 8, 2012: U.S. House Veterans Affairs Committee: Legislative Hearing (including HR 4057, which became P.L. 112-249)
September 22, 2011: U.S. Senate Hearing: Improving Educational Outcomes for Our Military
July 21, 2011: U.S. Senate Hearing: Improving For-Profit Higher Education: A Roundtable Discussion of Policy Solutions
June 7, 2011: U.S. Senate Hearing: Drowning in Debt: Financial Outcomes of Students at For-Profit Colleges
March 10, 2011: U.S. Senate Hearing: Bridgepoint Education, Inc.: A Case study in For-Profit Education and Oversight
September 30, 2010: U.S. Senate Hearing: The Federal Investment in For-Profit Education: Are Students Succeeding?
August 4, 2010: U.S. Senate Hearing: For-Profit Schools: The Student Recruitment Experience
June 24, 2010: U.S. Senate Hearing: Emerging Risk? An Overview of the Federal Investment in For-Profit Education
Press Releases
November 2, 2018: US Representative Adam Smith (D-WA) Meets with Washington Student Veterans about Protecting the GI Bill and Student Veterans (click here)
Elevating Veterans' Voices - After Action Report - Summer and Fall 2017 (click here)
November 13, 2017: U.S. Representative Luke Messer (R-IN) Meets with Indiana Student Veterans About Forever GI Bill; New Law Will Restore Benefits to Veterans Attending ITT Tech When School Closed (VES Press Release here. Rep. Messer Press Release here. Photos and tweet here). Coverage by Fox59 TV Indianapolis: VA To Begin Notifying Thousands of Veterans Who Lost Benefits When ITT Tech Shut Down; Greenfield Daily Reporter: Law Restores Education Benefits For Vets; WBOI NPR News: Federal Law to Restore Veteran Benefits After ITT Tech Closure
October 27, 2017: U. S. Representative Suzanne Bonamici Meets with Oregon Student Veterans about Protecting the GI Bill and Student Veterans (Press Release here. Photos and tweets here and here)
October 13, 2017: Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) Meets with Connecticut Student Veterans about GI Bill Issues, the Forever GI Bill, and How to Protect Student Veterans (Press Release here. Photos and tweets here and here)
August 24, 2017: Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) Meets with Defrauded Louisiana Veterans, Hears How Some Colleges Target GI Bill with Consumer Fraud and Dishonorable Practices. (Press Release here. Photos and tweets here and here.)
August 22, 2017: Rep. Mark Takano (D-CA) Meets with Defrauded California ITT Tech Veteran at Veterans Town Hall, is Thanked for His Leadership Restoring GI Bill Benefits to ITT Tech and Corinthian Veterans. (Press release here. Photos and tweet here and here.)
August 21, 2017: Rep. Lou Correa (D-CA) Addresses Defrauded Student Veterans in Town Hall. (Tweet here.)
August 17, 2017: Rep. David Young (R-IA) Meets with Defrauded Iowa Veterans, Hears How Some Colleges Target GI Bill with Consumer Fraud and Dishonorable Practices. (Press release here. Photos and tweets here and here.)
August 15, 2017: Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI) Meets with Veterans Education Success, Hears How Some Colleges Target GI Bill with Consumer Fraud and Dishonorable Practices. (Photos and tweet here.)
August 7, 2017: Rep. Bobby Scott (D-VA) Meets with Defrauded Virginia Veterans, Hears How Some Colleges Target GI Bill with Consumer Fraud and Dishonorable Practices. (Press release here. Photo and tweet here.)
August 2, 2017: Rep. Mike Bost (R-IL) Meets with Defrauded Illinois Veterans, Hears How Some Colleges Target GI Bill with Consumer Fraud and Dishonorable Practices. (Press release here. Photos and tweet here, here and here.)
August 2, 2017: BREAKING: Congress Unanimously Passes the Forever GI Bill, Restores GI Bill to ITT Tech & Corinthian Veterans (click here).
July 7, 2017: Rep. Mike Coffman (R-CO) Meets with Defrauded Colorado Veterans, Hears How Some Colleges Target GI Bill with Consumer Fraud and Dishonorable Practices. (Press release here. Photos and tweet here)
December 12, 2016 VES Hails Final Passage of Career Ready Student Veterans Act, Thanks Sens. Blumenthal, Cassidy, Tills, and Reps. Miller and Takano
VES President Carrie Wofford testifies before the bipartisan Congressional Commission on Evidence-Based Policy Making (October 2016)
