Durbin Supports Helping Illinois Veterans Take Full Advantage of Their Education Benefits

Press Release

U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today called on the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to allow Illinois veterans to use their Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits to pay for tuition, books and housing at the same time they are using state benefits for tuition.

The State of Illinois has requested a waiver from current federal VA policy that requires state benefits to be applied before Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits forcing veteran students to spend down all state benefits before accessing their federal benefits. Because Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits can be used to help pay for housing and state veterans benefits cannot, many Illinois students have chosen to forgo the state benefits to which they are entitled in order to take advantage of the Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits.

"Veteran students should not be punished for living in a state like Illinois, which provides 100% tuition and fee coverage for eligible veterans, spouses, and children, They shouldn't have to choose between their state benefits and the federal benefits they were promised," said Durbin. "The state of Illinois' waiver request is common sense and I urge the Department of Veterans Affairs to approve it right away."

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