Bill Would Change Education Benefits

The Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee has approved a measure that would increase Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits. Among the provisions: providing reimbursement for vocational and on-the-job training programs; offering monthly stipends for students who take online courses; extending the $1,000 annual textbook stipend, now only available for veterans and retirees, to the active force and spouses; and offering reduced monthly stipends based on the number of classes a student takes. The full Senate will consider the measure, S. 3447, upon its return from August recess, the Fleet Reserve Association reports.