Letter to Secretary McDonald, Department of Veterans Affairs - Regarding the Closure of ITT Technical Institute and its Effect on G.I. Bill Benefits

Letter

Dear Secretary McDonald:

I write regarding the recent announcement that ITT Technical Institute (ITT Tech) will be immediately closing its campuses and the impact that will have on veterans. In 2015, more than 12,000 veterans attended ITT Tech and there were 6,842 GI Bill recipients scheduled to begin classes on September 12th. This closure includes two campuses in Minnesota with 68 veterans currently enrolled, as well as many more enrolled in online courses. With the announcement of ITT Tech's closure, those veterans will be unable to attend classes, many will not be able to transfer credits, and all will lose GI Bill education benefits that have been paid to ITT Tech. This is unacceptable. I understand that Congress must take action, and I appreciate the efforts of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to make information about the closure immediately available online, but I also urge the VA to do everything in its power to ensure that veterans impacted by school closures are treated fairly.

Civilian students who attended ITT Tech will be allowed to discharge the student loans they incurred at ITT and restart their higher education with a clean slate. Veterans do not receive the same treatment when it comes to the GI Bill benefits they earned through their service to our country. The GI Bill provides veterans with a great opportunity to pursue the college of their choice, but it does not protect them against predatory recruitment practices and colleges that shutter their doors. We must right this wrong. The Senate has held hearings on legislation that would fix this problem and I will do everything I can to push for that legislation to pass. Below are questions regarding steps the VA may be able to take in order to provide immediate relief to veterans.

Can the VA devote resources to work with veterans impacted by the ITT Tech closure on academic counseling and options to transfer their credits?

Does the VA have the authority to grant exceptions to GI Bill regulations and allow veterans attending colleges that close to receive reimbursement of their benefits?

Can the VA coordinate with the Department of Education and the Department of Justice to explore whether there is viable legal action to take against ITT Tech on behalf of veterans?

Thank you for your attention to this issue. I look forward to working with you to ensure our veterans receive the benefits they earned.

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