Bipartisan Legislation Introduced by Rep. Mike Levin to Support Veterans Passes House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. – Today, two bipartisan pieces of legislation introduced by U.S. Representative Mike Levin to support veterans passed the House. The legislation includes Rep. Levin’s Protect the GI Bill Act, which will increase transparency and accountability among educational programs that receive funding from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The House also passed the Deborah Sampson Act, which includes Rep. Levin’s bipartisan legislation to help end homelessness among women veterans and their families.
“One day after I joined veterans across North County to honor their service and sacrifice, I’m proud to pass bipartisan legislation that strengthens the benefits they have earned,” said Rep. Levin. “These bipartisan bills are critical to ensuring the economic success of our nation’s heroes by reducing veteran homelessness and improving their GI Bill benefits. We must do more than pay lip service to our veterans – we need to deliver results, and that’s what the House did today. I hope the Senate will follow our lead and pass these bipartisan bills without delay.”
The Protect the GI Bill Act ensures that schools receiving GI Bill funding inform prospective students of the cost of attendance, how much their benefits cover, student outcomes, and more. The bill empowers State Approving Agencies (SAAs) to flag or suspend new enrollments to schools that violate these requirements. Levin’s legislation contains several other protections, including a ban on schools misrepresenting themselves while marketing, recruiting, and enrolling students.
The Deborah Sampson Act includes Levin’s legislation to require that at least $20 million of Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) grant funding goes to organizations that have a focus on helping women veterans and their families, and require the VA to analyze and report on shortfalls in its homelessness programs with respect to serving women.
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