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REPUBLICAN PRESS RELEASE

May 3, 2007

HVAC Economic Opportunity subcommittee hears testimony on accelerated education benefits for Veterans

By For more information please contact Jeff Phillips, 202-225-3527

Washington, D.C. — The Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity held an oversight hearing today to examine the expansion of programs eligible for accelerated GI Bill reimbursement and whether beneficiaries in other Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) education programs should also be eligible for accelerated benefits.

The goal of the accelerated benefit program is to expand and increase use, and to improve the affordability of relatively high-cost, short-duration programs. The original intent has been to help veterans pay for those programs that require them to pay a large up-front payment. This is usually a lump sum of 60 percent of tuition and fees.

“I believe it may be time to refocus the program and better define its goals. While improving funding for high-tech courses is a valid objective,” said Subcommittee Ranking Member John Boozman (R-Ark.). “I think it ignores one of the major shortcomings in the Montgomery GI Bill, and that is the 30 percent of those who sign up but never use their benefit,” Boozman said, citing VA data.

One possible reason for the lack of use is that significant personal commitments preclude long-term education along with an imperfect understanding of education and training options other than pursuit of a degree.

“College is not for everyone nor does a long term degree program fit in every life situation, and I hope we can expand the types of training and education eligible for accelerated benefit payments,” Boozman said.

The VA website contains a list of programs approved for accelerated benefits which shows inconsistency. Urban forestry is approved but nursing along with Commercial Drivers License (CDL) training is not. The subcommittee heard testimony from Mike Michaud (D-Maine) on his bill to expand the program to include training for commercial drivers licenses. Congressman Boozman agreed that CDL courses are worthy of consideration.

“We should focus primarily on improving access to non-degree programs. That would include things like short-term certification courses. There are sectors of the economy crying for help these days and the transportation sector is one of the high-demand job fields that offer good wages and careers for our veterans,” Boozman said.

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Larry Scott

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