Bipartisan legislation that would drastically increase student financial aid benefits for veterans (S. 22) is now caught up with a larger, more controversial bill that is receiving stiff opposition from the Bush Administration.
The Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act, introduced by Marine Corp. veteran Sen. Jim Webb (D-VA) last year, would increase educational benefits available to members of the military who have served on active duty since September 11, 2001, including reservists and members of the National Guard. Benefit amounts would be based on the amount of time a veteran had served in the military since 9/11. The benefits would be payable for 36 months, the equivalent of four years of college, and would be available for up to 15 years after a veteran leaves active duty.
The bill received large bipartisan support in the Senate and was passed as part of a much larger emergency war funding bill. The Senate passed the war funding bill last Thursday by a vote of 70 to 26. But the Administration is opposed to a number of domestic spending items - including the veteran's benefits package - which the Administration does not want included.
"Blue Dog" Democrats known for their adherence to fiscal conservatism had threatened to strip all domestic spending from the bill, except Webb's veterans' proposal in the Senate last week. Ultimately however, the entire spending bill - without the tax that would have raised the needed $54 billion over 10 years to pay for the veterans' benefits - passed by an overwhelming majority.
The war spending bill now goes back to the House where several Congressmen on both sides of the aisle have expressed doubts about passing the $10 billion is domestic spending without including offsets.
At its maximum award amounts, S. 22 would:
- Allow veterans pursuing an approved program of education to receive payments covering established charges of their program up to the cost of the most expensive in-state public school
- Pay qualifying veterans a monthly housing cost stipend that would be adjusted by zip code to compensate for different costs of living
- Pay $1,000 annually to qualified veterans to cover books, supplies, equipment, and other educational costs
Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee David Obey (D-WI) refused to predict how the House would vote, Congressional Quarterly reports.
"It ain't over until the fat lady sings," he said before predicting a non-veto pass from Bush.
By Justin Draeger
NASFAA Associate Director for Communications
Posted 05/28/08 to www.NASFAA.org. Redistribution to non-NASFAA institutions is prohibited. Please submit Web Site questions or comments to Web@NASFAA.org.
