Senate Passes GI Bill Update

The Senate unanimously passed an ambitious update to the Post-9/11 GI Bill Wednesday, just over a week after the House of Representatives passed an identical version of the legislation. The bill will next head to President Trump's desk.

Among other provisions, the package would lift the current 15-year time limit for veterans to use GI Bill benefits for postsecondary education. It also would restore benefits used to earn credits at closed institutions such as those operated by Corinthian Colleges and ITT Tech, which enrolled a large number of veterans as students.

The legislation also would expand access to student aid for members of the National Guard and reservists and would grant full eligibility for student aid to Purple Heart recipients, regardless of their length of service.

House leaders moved the bill swiftly through that chamber, introducing it, holding hearings and scheduling a vote in just over a week. It took about as long for the bill to move through the Senate. The legislation received broad support from a wide range of veterans' groups and education advocates.

"This was a truly bipartisan effort led by some amazing organizations and leaders within Congress, all committed to ensuring veterans and their families have the opportunity for a college education post-military service," said Jared Lyon, president and CEO of Student Veterans of America.