Takano-Messer Proposal to Help Vets Impacted by School Closures Passes VA Committee

Press Release

A bipartisan proposal spearheaded by U.S. Rep. Luke Messer (R-IN) and U.S. Rep. Mark Takano (D-CA) to help veterans impacted by school closures passed the House Veterans' Affairs Committee today, as part of a larger GI Bill reform package.

The Takano-Messer proposal retroactively restores GI Bill benefits to veterans who were attending Indiana-based ITT Technical Institute and California-based Corinthian Colleges, both of which closed abruptly impacting tens of thousands of students nationwide, including thousands of veterans.

Their proposal is part of the Harry Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2017, which improves and modernizes several aspects of the GI Bill.

Messer and Takano testified about their proposal during the VA Committee's hearing on the GI Bill reform package Monday night, ahead of today's vote.

"Veterans attending ITT Tech got a raw deal, and they deserve better," Messer said in his testimony. "Our service men and women count on their GI Bill benefits to help them start a career and build a life after serving our country. The least we can do is make sure they get that chance."

"Restoring both tuition and housing benefits to veterans for a semester cut short by a school closure is simply the right thing to do," said Takano at Monday's hearing. "And by making this provision retroactive, we are restoring a measure of justice for the students at ITT Tech and Corinthian, as well as others across the country who have been left out in the cold by a college that shuts down without warning."

The Takano-Messer provision provides full restoration of GI Bill benefits within 90 days to students who attended ITT Tech and Corinthian Colleges, if they were not able to transfer their credits to a new institution. It also helps veterans who may be impacted by a school closure in the future. It mirrors previous legislation introduced by Takano and Messer.

The Harry Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2017 is expected to be considered by the full House of Representatives for passage this month.

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