Buerkle Supports Measures to Safeguard Veterans and Members of the Military

Press Release

Representative Ann Marie Buerkle (NY-25) released the following statement regarding the Executive Order that President Obama issued to protect current and former servicemen and women as they seek higher educational opportunities.

"I applaud President Obama for taking action to safeguard our veterans and members of the military by issuing an Executive Order to assist them in their quest to further their education.

"While most schools do what is right the unfortunate reality is that there are some who do not. There are some who prey on our veterans and servicemen and women for financial gain and we must put a stop to it. The President's Executive Order will institute a number of measures that will help veterans and members of the military navigate the process of achieving a higher education degree and will protect them from over aggressive college recruiters.

"It is our duty to not only ensure that our men and women in uniform, both past and present, can afford to continue their education through the GI Bill, but also that in the process of doing so they are not taken advantage of. I commend the President for his action on this issue and will continue to fight for the rights and benefits of our veterans and servicemen and women."

President Obama issued the Executive Order Establishing Principles of Excellence for Educational Institutions Serving Service Members, Veterans, Spouses, and Other Family Members on Friday, April 27, 2012.

The Executive Order is aimed toward for-profit schools that target veterans and members of the military due to the easy access to federal money provided in the GI Bill. The provisions in the order include providing information on financial aid and payment, requiring schools to have counseling to ensure graduation is not hindered due to relocation or deployment, strengthening on base recruiting rules, and making it easier to file complaints for overaggressive recruitment tactics.

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