Today, Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) released the following statement in honor of Veterans Day:
“While we should thank and praise our veterans every day of the year, this special day we honor those who have served and continue to serve the United States to protect our freedom as Americans. In my short tenure as a United States Senator and member of the Veterans’ Affairs Committee, I have been humbled by the bipartisan efforts of my colleagues to support those who have carried the fight.
“As our soldiers return home and transition into civilian life, it is critical that we provide them the with the resources necessary to earn the lifelong benefits of higher education. I thank President Obama for recognizing this imperative, because today he urged Congress to swiftly pass two bills I’ve introduced with Senator Blumenthal (D-CT) that focus on improving education opportunities for our veterans, the Career-Ready Student Veterans Act of 2015 and the Veterans Education Relief and Reinstatement Act of 2015.
“This support from the President and both parties in Congress show we’re moving in the direction that President Lincoln laid out for America in his Second Inaugural Address to care for ‘him who bore the battle and for his widow and orphan.’ It is my hope that North Carolina’s veterans and those across the nation understand that they deserve nothing less than the full support of the President and Congress to fix the Veterans Administration and provide our warriors with the care they have earned.”
Background:
Earlier this morning, President Obama called on Congress to quickly pass several bills aimed to improve education, health care, benefits, homelessness and economic opportunity for our Veterans. The President endorsed two bills co-introduced by Senators Tillis and Blumenthal (D-CT):
The Veterans Education Relief and Reinstatement Act of 2015 would provide relief for veterans’ whose education benefits through the Post-9/11 GI Bill are affected by the permanent closure of certain educational institutions. The Veterans Education Relief and Reinstatement Act (VERRA) would expand the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) authority to restore the Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits of veterans who are affected by the permanent closure of educational institutions. Currently, the VA cannot fully restore a veterans’ benefits if a school they attend permanently closes.
The Career-Ready Student Veterans Act of 2015 would provide stronger consumer protection measures for veterans by prohibiting schools lacking appropriate programmatic accreditation from receiving GI Bill benefits. Veterans would be protected from wasting education benefits on educational programs that will not equip them for employment.
