The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), previously named the Veterans Administration, has been providing veterans educational assistance benefits, including GI Bill benefits, since 1944. In general, the benefits provide grant aid to eligible individuals enrolled in approved educational and training programs. The newest GI Bill was enacted on…

As of FY2018, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) administers benefits under six GI Bills: the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance program (Post-9/11 GI Bill), Survivors' and Dependents' Educational Assistance Program (DEA), Montgomery GI Bill--Selected Reserve (MGIB-SR), Montgomery GI Bill--Active Duty (MGIB-AD), Reserve Educational…

The Post-9/11 GI Bill is the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA's) largest educational program. It provides payments for eligible veterans to cover tuition and fees, housing and other costs while they pursue a higher education. However, for some veterans this pursuit is interrupted when the school they attend unexpectedly closes. This testimony…

The Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2017 is an act to amend title 38, United States Code, to make certain improvements in the laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes. The Act includes the following titles: (1) Post-9/11 Educational Assistance Program; (2) Other Educational Assistance…

A college education is an investment in the future of every student who pursues one, but it does not come cheap. College expenses include tuition, fees, books, equipment, and room and board, if a student chooses to live on campus. These all add up, and every student must determine where the funding for college will come from. Students with…

The majority of federal assistance for disaster management is made available from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), as authorized under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (Stafford Act: P.L. 93-288). The public assistance available under the Stafford Act largely provides funds for disaster relief…

In 2016, the federal government provided students pursuing higher education with about $91 billion in direct financial support through a wide variety of spending programs and income and payroll tax preferences, the Congressional Budget Office estimates. The largest programs and preferences give financial assistance to students to offset the cost…

This report shares the perspectives and aspirations of 17 low-income and working-class students based on interviews the Institute for Higher Education Policy (IHEP) conducted over two semesters of their college journeys. The report identifies opportunities for policymakers and institutional leaders to support all students through completion,…

About 16 percent of veterans use the GI Bill to attend private institutions, roughly the same proportion as students generally. But at the most highly selective colleges, veterans using the Post-9/11 GI Bill barely fill a single classroom--38 at Penn, 22 at Cornell, and at Princeton, just one. The sparse numbers do not go unnoticed, veterans say.…

The purpose of the United States Department of Education's (the Department) Fiscal Year (FY) 2015 "Agency Financial Report" (AFR) is to inform Congress, the President, and the American people on how the Department has used federal resources entrusted to it to promote achievement and preparedness of youth entering a global environment by…

Student services professionals are committed to helping students, including the new generation of military servicemembers. However, navigating the maze of federal programs and policies designed to help these deserving individuals requires special knowledge. This chapter assists campus administrators by providing information, first, on the rich…

The purpose of the United States Department of Education's (the Department) Fiscal Year (FY) 2014 "Agency Financial Report" (AFR) is to inform Congress, the President, and the American people on how the Department has used federal resources entrusted to it to promote achievement and preparedness of youth entering a global environment by…

These hearings concern a review of the implementation of Public Law (PL) 94-502, The Veterans' Education and Employment Assistant Act of 1976 and The Veterans Education and Training Program. Testimonies of representatives of the Veterans Administration, veterans' organizations, and education associations are presented regarding resolution of the…

This report describes the provisions of the Veterans' Education Amendments of 1986 (H.R. 3747), which would amend chapter 30 of title 38, United States Code, to provide for educational assistance for apprenticeship or other on-the-job training under the All-Volunteer Force Educational Assistance Program. The first part of the report contains the…

The purpose of the United States Department of Education's (the Department) FY 2013 "Agency Financial Report" (AFR) is to assist Congress, the President, and the American people to assess the Department's stewardship over resources with which it is entrusted. This annual report is required by legislation and complies with the…