U.S. Reps. Susan Brooks (R-IN), Todd Young (R-IN) and Jackie Walorski (R-IN) introduced legislation on Tuesday to protect veterans who attended ITT Technical Institute following the recent announcement of the for-profit college’s closure.
Under current federal law, students are allowed to have federal student loans discharged if they aren’t able to finish a degree program because an institution closes. There is no law on the books, however, to protect veterans who use GI Bill educational benefits.
“GI bill education benefits are a promise that we make to the brave men and women who serve our country, and it’s one that our nation must keep,” Brooks said. “The opportunity to further your education and develop the skills and expertise for a career after the military is an opportunity that our veterans earn through service. This bill makes sure that every veteran has this opportunity, and protects our veterans when an institution of higher education closes. We owe it to our servicemen and women.”
Under the bill, veterans would be able to recover GI Bill educational benefits if they are unable to complete a degree program because a college closes. The bill would apply to 7,000 veterans who attended ITT Tech.
“Our veterans fought to defend the American Dream for all of us — we can’t let them lose their own shot at the American Dream,” Walorski said. “We have a responsibility to help veterans who, because of circumstances beyond their control, have been left without the degree they were working toward. This bill ensures they can make full use of the benefits they earned.”
The veterans impacted by ITT Tech’s closure, Young added, deserve an immediate resolution.
“The first item on our Congressional checklist must be to make these veterans whole, with no justification for delay,” Young said. “It is my hope to see our legislation move swiftly to passage, as it guarantees every single veteran receives, in full, the education they earned.”
U.S Reps. Larry Bucshon (R-IN), Todd Rokita (R-IN) and Luke Messer (R-IN) joined Brooks, Walorski and Young in introducing the legislation.