GI Bill National Emergency Extended Deadline Act

Floor Speech

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Mrs. MILLER-MEEKS. Madam Speaker, I thank my colleagues, Ranking Member Bost and Chair Takano, for their leadership, and I thank Representative Bost for yielding me time.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to speak in support of my bipartisan GI Bill National Emergency Extended Deadline Act, which I was proud to introduce with a fellow veteran, Congresswoman Sherrill.

Our legislation would protect veterans' educational benefits from expiring due to institutional closures or other factors caused by the COVID-19 national emergency.

This important legislation will allow the Department of Veterans Affairs to pause the time limit currently placed on the use of GI bill benefits and to permit them to restart the clock after it is safe for veterans to return to school.

I am pleased to see that our legislation was amended in the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, to include my Veterans Readiness and Employment National Emergency Extended Deadline Act, which I was also proud to introduce with Congresswoman Sherrill.

The VR&E NEED Act would ensure disabled veterans get the support they need to enter the civilian workforce through the VA's VR&E program. Our legislation will allow the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to pause the 12-year time limit to use VR&E benefits during national emergencies and other crises when eligible, disabled veterans are prevented from leveraging those benefits through no fault of their own.

The VR&E program is an excellent path for our veterans to receive the education and training they need to reenter the workforce. By pausing the timer on their benefits when programs are closed, we preserve the opportunities veterans have earned through their service to our country. Our disabled veterans sacrificed greatly in service to our country, so now it is our turn to serve them.

It is critical these benefits are not reduced due to no fault of the individual veteran. Over the past year, we have seen the COVID-19 public health emergency force universities and colleges across the country to temporarily close their doors. As a 24-year Army veteran, I know how important being able to use GI benefits is to ensure that our veterans can find meaningful employment. In fact, I used the GI bill benefit throughout medical school.

Madam Speaker, I thank Congresswoman Sherrill for her partnership on both of these commonsense bills to help our veterans to access the benefits they have earned.

Madam Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to support the bipartisan GI NEED Act.

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