Post-9/11 GI Bill

Post-9/11 GI Bill
U.S. Government · Public domain · source
Name	Post-9/11 GI Bill
Enacted	2008
Enacted by	110th United States Congress
Signed into law	"Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008"
Effective	2009
Administered by	Department of Veterans Affairs
Related legislation	GI Bill, Montgomery GI Bill, Veterans' Benefits Act of 2010

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Post-9/11 GI Bill

The Post-9/11 GI Bill is a United States veterans' education benefits program created to provide tuition, housing, and book stipends to eligible service members and veterans who served on or after the terrorist attacks of September 11 attacks. Enacted by the 110th United States Congress and signed into law by President George W. Bush, the law expanded on prior benefits such as the GI Bill and the Montgomery GI Bill, and it has interacted with institutions including the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Defense, and the Veterans Benefits Administration.

Background and Enactment

The legislation originated amid policy debates following September 11 attacks, Operation Enduring Freedom, and Operation Iraqi Freedom, with bipartisan support in the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. Architects and advocates included Members of Congress like Jim Webb and Senator Daniel Akaka, veterans' service organizations such as the American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and Disabled American Veterans, and higher education groups including the American Council on Education and the National Association of State Approving Agencies. The law was debated alongside other postwar measures like the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008 and was influenced by studies from institutions such as the Brookings Institution, the RAND Corporation, and the Government Accountability Office.

Eligibility rules tie benefit levels to aggregate active-duty service time after September 11 attacks; criteria reference service records held by the Defense Manpower Data Center and determinations by the Department of Veterans Affairs. Key stakeholders in adjudication include the Veterans Benefits Administration and the Department of Defense. Prominent beneficiaries include veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom, as well as members of the National Guard (United States) and United States Army Reserve. Congressional oversight has involved committees such as the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs and the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

Covered programs include degree programs at institutions like Harvard University, Columbia University, University of California campuses, and community colleges such as Miami Dade College, as well as technical and vocational training at institutions like the Lincoln Technical Institute and ITT Technical Institute (prior to its closure). Approved schools must be certified by state agencies such as the State Approving Agency network and accreditation bodies like the Middle States Commission on Higher Education and the Higher Learning Commission. The law also covers on-the-job training, apprenticeships overseen by the Department of Labor, and distance education offered by providers including Southern New Hampshire University and Arizona State University Online.

Tuition coverage references the annual cap based on public in-state tuition at flagship institutions and private school caps exemplified by universities such as Stanford University and New York University. The monthly housing allowance is pegged to the Basic Allowance for Housing rates used by the Department of Defense and references regional calculations relevant to metropolitan areas like San Francisco Bay Area, Washington, D.C., and New York City. Book stipends help offset costs for textbooks and supplies at institutions ranging from Massachusetts Institute of Technology to vocational centers such as Pennsylvania Institute of Technology. Administrative interactions involve the Veterans Health Administration for certain education-related services and the Federal Student Aid office for coordination with federal financial aid.

A notable feature allows transfer of entitlement to dependents under policies approved by Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and subsequent secretaries, with implementation involving personnel systems like the Defense Manpower Data Center. Dependents eligible for transferred benefits include spouses and children under rules that affect families of service members from branches such as the United States Navy, the United States Marine Corps, the United States Air Force, and the United States Coast Guard. Legislative adjustments and oversight by Members like Senator Patty Murray and Representative Jeff Miller addressed issues around spouse use, dependent certificates, and portability across institutions such as Community College of the Air Force.

Administration of benefits is conducted by the Department of Veterans Affairs through the Veterans Benefits Administration with coordination from the Department of Defense for verification of service. Funding and appropriations have been overseen by the Congressional Budget Office and subject to amendments in acts such as the Veterans Benefits Act of 2010 and budgetary decisions by the United States Congress and Office of Management and Budget. Implementation challenges involved claims processing systems, notably the Veterans Benefits Management System, and collaborations with state agencies including the California Department of Veterans Affairs. Cost estimates and actuarial analyses have been produced by entities like the Government Accountability Office and the Congressional Research Service.

The program produced measurable enrollment shifts tracked by institutions such as the National Student Clearinghouse and prompted research at universities including Columbia University and University of Michigan; economic analyses have been published by the Brookings Institution and the Pew Research Center. Criticism came from consumer advocates and lawmakers over for-profit schools such as Bridgepoint Education and Corinthian Colleges that allegedly targeted veterans, prompting hearings by the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs and regulatory action by the Department of Education. Legislative amendments have addressed tuition caps, months of entitlement, and protections against fraud in laws and actions involving Senator John McCain and Representative Carolyn McCarthy, along with regulatory changes administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs and enforcement by the Federal Trade Commission and Department of Justice. Outcomes include expanded access to higher education for veterans attending institutions such as University of Phoenix and CUNY campuses, workforce transitions observed in studies by the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the National Bureau of Economic Research, and ongoing policy debates in forums including the American Enterprise Institute and the Center for American Progress.

Category:United States veterans' affairs