Military Construction and Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2015

Floor Speech

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Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Chairman, career education programs--programs of less than 2 years that are designed to prepare students for direct entry into a specific profession--too often fail our student veterans. Many of these programs at for-profit schools leave our student veterans with unsustainable debt and worthless credentials.

My amendment would ensure that veterans' education benefits are only used for career education programs that qualify students to take an examination required for entry into an occupation or profession or provide them with certificates or licenses that meet State and industry requirements.

I have heard time and time again that a key for successful transition from Active Duty to veteran status is gainful employment. And that is why we must make sure that the education our veterans receive is truly helping them enter the workforce. Again, I urge all my colleagues to support this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Chairman, my amendment would prevent Federal student aid for veterans, including post-9/11 GI Bill benefits, from being used by colleges for marketing and recruiting purposes.

A Senate Health Committee report showed that many for-profits used more than 22 percent of their revenue on marketing and recruiting but less than 18 percent on academic instruction. At the same time, many of these schools received more than 80 percent of their revenue from Federal student aid, including post-9/11 GI Bill benefits and other veterans' education benefits.

That's a lot of veteran's education assistance and taxpayer money going to for-profit schools to market to and recruit students. It has been well documented that some of these schools use overly aggressive, deceptive, and fraudulent practices to get students to attend their schools. Thirty-eight State attorneys general, the CFPB, the SEC, FDIC, and DOJ are all investigating the practices of for-profit colleges. We need to address this abuse of student veterans' and taxpayer dollars. I urge you all to support my amendment.

I yield back the balance of my time.

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