Press Releases

Today, the House of Representatives unanimously passed the final version of the Restoring GI Bill Fairness Act of 2011 (H.R. 1383) to keep student veterans enrolled in the school of their choice this school year by temporarily restoring the original Post-9/11 GI Bill method of paying tuition and fees based on the maximum in-state, undergraduate fee schedule. The Senate passed the bill unanimously on Thursday, after the House passed a previous version in May. Upon the President’s signature, the change will go into effect on August 1, 2011, protecting student veterans from what would have been severe reductions in tuition payments. This is the first piece of legislation for America’s veterans of 2011 to be sent to President Obama.

“I could not be more pleased to be sending this important legislation to the President for signature. I am thankful to my colleagues in the Senate, particularly Chairman Murray and Ranking Member Burr, for working with me to keep our veterans in school,” Representative Jeff Miller (FL-01), Chairman of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs stated. “We are keeping our promise to America’s student veterans using the Post-9/11 GI Bill through this new legislation, enabling them to stay in the school of their choice.”

The Restoring GI Bill Fairness Act of 2011 allows student veterans who have been accepted for enrollment by a school on or prior to January 4, 2011, but were not necessarily attending the school at that time to be “grandfathered” in under the bill. The legislation will help students in Arizona, Michigan, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Texas.

“We have an obligation to ensure, especially in today’s tough job market, that our veterans have the ability to compete with their peers in the civilian world,” Miller said. “This bill guarantees we will have the most qualified veteran workforce since World War II.”

To watch Chairman Jeff Miller's floor speech, click here.