Protections for GI Bill education benefits created after many schools moved classes online due to the COVID-19 pandemic could be revived in future emergencies under a bill passed by the House on Wednesday.
The bill was among other veterans-related legislation cleared by the House. Lawmakers also approved legislation to streamline the Department of Veterans Affairs home loan appraisal process. The bills must still be passed by the Senate and signed by the president before becoming law.
At the beginning of the pandemic, student veterans were in danger of losing some of their GI Bill benefits as colleges closed campuses and moved classes online. Benefits such as tuition money and housing stipends are normally cut in half for veterans taking online classes compared to those learning in person.
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Starting in March 2020, Congress passed a series of laws to ensure veterans would still receive their full benefits, even if classes went virtual. But the COVID-19 protections for the GI Bill expired in June as the country shifted its focus away from the pandemic and after most colleges had resumed normal operations.
The bipartisan bill passed Wednesday would allow the VA to immediately bring back the protections for any future presidentially declared national emergencies without further action by Congress. The bill, dubbed the Student Veteran Emergency Relief…
