President Biden on Tuesday signed into law legislation that restores pandemic education benefits to veterans who attended for-profit colleges that closed or lost their accreditation due to fraudulent or misleading practices, according to a press release. The Veterans Rapid Retraining Assistance Program Restoration and Recovery Act, S. 4089, also gives the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) authority to recoup federal dollars from the fraudulent school, Inside Higher Ed reported.
The Veteran Rapid Retraining Assistance Program (VRRAP), created by the American Rescue Plan, aims to help veterans gain new skills to meet changing workforce demands during the pandemic. The enacted law allows the VA to restore education benefits under the VRRAP to veterans whose education is interrupted by their school's closure or loss of accreditation.
U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) introduced the legislation earlier this year, with Representatives Danny Davis (D-IL) and Lauren Underwood (D-IL) sponsoring a companion bill in the House.
"Every veteran deserves to access the full benefits they have earned as they pursue their postmilitary education," said Rep. Underwood. "The Veterans Rapid Retraining Assistance Restoration and Recovery Act will restore important education benefits to veterans who have been ripped off by predatory institutions."
Related Links
U.S. Senator Dick Durbin's Press Release
https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/president-biden-signs-durbin-d-davis-underwood-bill-restoring-education-benefits-to-veterans-into-law
Inside Higher Ed
https://www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2022/06/09/new-bill-would-help-restore-education-benefits-veterans