Congress protects GI Bill benefits as colleges move classes online – The Washington Post
The House passed legislation Thursday to ensure student veterans will continue to receive GI Bill benefits without interruption amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The legislation, which cleared the chamber by unanimous consent, gives the Department of Veterans Affairs authority to relax rules that threatened to reduce the monthly stipends of students whose colleges switched to online-only instruction. The Senate approved a companion bill Monday.
Now, the legislation heads to President Trump.
“Hundreds of thousands of veterans and military families rely on the GI Bill to support themselves while they are in school, and I am heartened that Congress was able to come together so quickly to assure them that we’ve got their backs throughout this crisis,” said Rep. Phil Roe (R-Tenn.), who introduced the House bill.
The need for colleges and universities to move classes online to prevent the spread of the coronavirus placed GI Bill recipients at risk. Veterans taking classes on campus receive higher monthly payments than those taking courses online. Online students typically receive only half the housing allowance of their peers.