Buchanan’s bill aims to make higher ed credit transfers easier for student veterans

U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-FL) recently introduced legislation that would require the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to help students who are United States military veterans better understand the higher education credit transfer process.

The congressman on Feb. 4 sponsored the Veterans Eligible to Transfer School (VETS) Credit Act, H.R. 6604, which specifically would amend the United States Code to improve the method by which the VA determines the effects of a closure or disapproval of an educational institution on veterans who do not transfer credits, according to the text of the bill.

“The VETS Credit Act will ensure that no veteran loses valuable G.I. Bill credits if their school closes or a program ends abruptly,” Rep. Buchanan said on Feb. 15. “This legislation would also help ensure that the VA notifies, and the student understands, the processes in place to restore that potentially lost eligibility.”

Current law requires the VA to restore G.I. Bill benefits (up to 12 credits) to eligible student veterans whose schools close or program ends in the middle of a semester, according to a bill summary provided by Rep. Buchanan’s office, which noted that such a process can be confusing and may make veterans unable to easily transfer their earned credits to a new school.

If enacted, the bill would require the VA to work with students and explain the school credit transfer process and provide them with a certificate of eligibility from the VA providing proof of their restored benefits, the summary says.

H.R. 6604 has been endorsed by Veterans Education Success and is under consideration by members of the U.S. House Veterans’ Affairs Committee.