The House of Representatives yesterday passed the GI Bill Fairness Act of 2011 (H.R. 1383) by vote of 389-0.
The bill, introduced by Rep. Jeff Miller (R-FL), would grandfather Post-9/11 GI Bill payments for student veterans currently enrolled in private colleges and universities, protecting them from a possible reduction in benefits due to changes included in the Veterans Educational Assistance Improvements Act of 2010 passed in January.
That law, an effort to simplify the administration of Post-9/11 GI bill benefits, replaced state-by-state caps on tuition and fee payments with a single nationwide cap of $17,500 a year for private institutions. The cap, which takes effect Aug. 1, would result in a reduction in benefits for students currently attending certain private institutions unless action is taken to help maintain current levels.
The Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee is expected to hold a hearing on its own version of the legislation June 8.