A Montgomery GI Bill for the 21st Century
By Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin
April 4, 2008

The original World War II Montgomery GI Bill was one of the most important pieces of legislation in our nation’s history. For every dollar the program invested in veterans, seven dollars were generated in economic benefit to the economy. However, as times have changed, so have the needs of our nation’s veterans, and unfortunately, the current law needs to be updated. In fact, the Congressional Research Service (CRS) reports that the current education benefit under the Montgomery GI Bill covers just 73% of the cost of a four year public university. This deficit in coverage has led to a significant number of servicemembers who qualify for education benefits but don't use them.

Therefore, it is time again for this nation to offer education benefits that reflect the sacrifice our young fighting men and women are making in service to the country. That’s why I am very proud to introduce The Veterans Education Improvement Act, a bill that will update the Montgomery GI Bill to ensure that veterans have access to adequate education benefits when they return home from service.

As part of my role as Chairwoman of the Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee for Economic Opportunity, I have led a series of hearings on veterans educations issues since the beginning of the 110th Congress. These hearings allowed the Subcommittee to receive input from veteran service organizations, education leaders, government agencies, and many other policy experts, and resulted in this bipartisan bill, which I was proud to introduce with Ranking Member Rep. John Boozman (R-AR).

Among other important improvements, The Veterans Education Improvement Act substantially increases the amount of basic education assistance for veterans equal to the average cost of the tuition at a four-year public college or university. It provides veterans with a monthly cost of living stipend and allows the overall assistance to be used for both business courses and licensing and certification exams, and to repay federal student loans.

The bill also dramatically expands the opportunity for servicemembers to enroll for education benefits, even if they are beyond the initial opportunity for automatic enrollment by allowing for enrollment at any time during the individual’s military service. It modifies upward the rate of reimbursement for State Approving Agencies, an important partner in administering the benefits with the VA, and it extends the time limitation for use of education benefits from 10 years to 15 years, more fully accommodating the transition from military to civilian life.

All of these are specific improvements and adjustments meant to make it easier, not harder for veterans to access the education benefits they’ve earned following their service. We need to update and adapt to the times to make sure that servicemembers receive what they deserve, and are able to continue or begin their education following their service as an essential component to their productive transition.

Again - it’s not just a well-deserved benefit for the individual veteran; it’s an smart investment in the future of our nation. I have no doubt that these tested and proven veterans will provide a significant return on that investment, as have so many generations of American veterans before them.

Those serving in our armed forces deserve to be protected as best we know how – not just with weaponry armor and equipment, but also health care, education, and support for the families who await their return. They deserve to be remembered not just when they are serving, but when they come back, and as they reintegrate into society.

Ensuring that veterans receive the benefits and services they deserve is one of my first priorities in Congress and I believe the changes proposed by the Veterans Education Improvement Act will go a long way toward meeting the educational needs of our servicemen and women in the 21st Century. I am optimistic that there is growing support for a bill that addresses necessary changes to veterans education benefits, and I’ll keep working on that goal this year on behalf of our nation’s veterans.