Senators: 'Terrible Failure Of Our Promise To Veterans And Taxpayers' When GI Bill Benefits Wasted On Questionable Institutions

Press Release

Following yet another shocking report by Reveal from the Center for Investigative Reporting, U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Tom Carper (D-DE), Jack Reed (D-RI) and Patty Murray (D-WA) today called on the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Robert McDonald, to investigate allegations that a number of questionable unaccredited educational institutions have received G.I. Bill benefits despite federal regulations to prevent it.

"The report documents a number of educationally questionable, and in some instances morally repugnant, institutions that have inexplicably received VA education benefits. These include an unlicensed massage therapy school, an institute whose parent organization is a listed hate group, and an institute on human sexuality claiming to be in possession of child pornography. If true, this is a terrible failure of our promise to veterans and taxpayers," the Senators wrote.

"The VA is charged with protecting our veterans from unscrupulous entities by enforcing federal regulations allowing only those institutions whose instruction is "consistent in quality, content, and length' with accredited institutions. VA's enforcement and oversight is critical given over 2,000 unaccredited institutions have reportedly received more than $260 million in G.I. Bill benefits between 2009 and 2014."

Earlier this month, in response to an article by Reveal from the Center for Investigative Reporting that documents University of Phoenix's deceptive marketing practices and its infringement on military trademarks, Durbin -- Vice Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense -- called on the Department of Defense to investigate the allegations made in the report and take immediate action to bar the company from further access to service members until the issues are resolved.

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