Restoring GI Bill Fairness Act of 2011

Floor Speech

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Mr. STUTZMAN. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of Chairman Miller's manager's amendment to H.R. 1383, the Restoring GI Bill Fairness Act of 2011.

The bill would increase the cap on tuition and fees set by the Post-9/11 Veterans Education Assistance Improvements Act of 2010, passed by Congress on December 16, 2010, as signed into law by President Obama as Public Law 111-377.

The new law made several changes to the Post-9/11 GI Bill, including imposing a national cap of $17,500 per academic year on tuition and fees paid to private institutions. Unfortunately, the cap will reduce VA payments on behalf of up to 30,000 veterans already enrolled in these private schools by thousands of dollars in at least seven States. Those States would include New York, Texas, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Arizona, South Carolina, and New Hampshire.

Madam Speaker, H.R. 1383, as amended, would raise that cap to $27,000 for a period of 3 years for veterans already enrolled in these private schools as of April 1, 2011. Veterans who enroll after that date would be subject to the $17,500 cap on tuition and fees.

In determining the amount of the new, temporary cap, we found that the College Board data showed that the average net tuition and fees charged to independent students attending the most expensive tier of private schools was roughly $22,540.

Therefore, we believe that when combined with other Federal benefits like Pell Grants and the post-9/11 G.I. Bill's Yellow Ribbon program, the vast majority of veterans attending private institutions would not experience out-of-pocket costs. I would also point out that the Yellow Ribbon program offers schools the opportunity to make up any difference between the basic benefit and actual charges by sharing the difference dollar for dollar with the VA.

Finally, I support the revised PAYGO offset. By meeting this change, we meet our statutory budget rules and allow veterans monthly stipends to reflect the most current amount of basic allowance for housing paid to servicemembers at the E-5 with dependents rate.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 1383, as amended.

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