Bipartisan legislation offered on Dec. 1 by U.S. Rep. Andy Barr (R-KY) would extend the amount of time that certain United States military veterans could utilize their GI Bill education benefits, giving them ample time to plan for their education, apply for a program, enroll, and begin class.
“This legislation will help veterans obtain skills, training and educational benefits to further their post-service success,” Rep. Barr said. “I will keep working to get his bipartisan bill signed into law.”
The More Opportunities for Veterans Education (MOVE) Act, H.R. 6112, which Rep. Barr cosponsored with bill sponsor U.S. Rep. Mike Levin (D-CA), would “extend the delimiting period” for certain individuals to use educational assistance benefits administered by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), according to the congressional record bill summary.
If enacted, H.R. 6112 would resolve a discrepancy that occurred earlier this year when the VA restored GI Bill entitlements for veterans who previously used Veteran Readiness and Employment benefits, but did not extend the expiration date for the benefits, according to information provided by Rep. Barr’s office.
H.R. 6112 would apply to veterans who, as of April 1, 2021, did not have at least 12 months in addition to the number of months the VA restored in GI Bill benefits until their expiration date, the information says, and would ensure these veterans have 12 months, plus the number of restored months, to use their benefits, also known as the delimiting date.
The bill also requires the VA to notify all covered veterans of their new delimiting date within 30 days of enactment, according to the information.
“We must ensure that veterans who served our country have access to the entirety of their education benefits earned through the Post 9/11 GI Bill,” said Rep. Barr. “Our bill is a straightforward legislative fix to achieve just that.”
Student Veterans of America and the Kentucky Center for Veterans Studies endorsed H.R. 6112.