Congressman Morgan McGarvey Passes First Bill in the US House of Representatives
WASHINGTON, DC (September 18, 2023) –Today, the U.S. House of Representatives unanimously passed Congressman Morgan McGarvey’s (KY-03) legislation to protect the education benefits of veterans. H.R. 3981, the Isakson-Roe Education Oversight Expansion Act, strengthens the Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) oversight capacity to prevent fraud and protect veterans from exploitative educational institutions. The bill now awaits passage in the U.S. Senate. The Isakson-Roe Education Oversight Expansion Act is Congressman McGarvey’s very first bill to pass the House.
“I’m ecstatic that this bill is one step closer to making it across the finish line,” said Rep. Morgan McGarvey. “Our veterans in Louisville and across the country deserve the absolute best. I’ve always said that we need to put as much effort into supporting our veterans when they come out of active duty as when they go in. This bill gives the VA the tools it needs to ensure that all veterans who are entitled to their education benefits can use them at reputable entities, free from the concern that they may be defrauded. I’m proud to lead my colleagues in this bipartisan effort to ensure our veterans and their benefits are supported and protected.”
Through their service, many veterans earn federal support to help pay for college, graduate school, and training programs with the GI Bill education benefit. However, some veterans have been exploited by predatory, fraudulent, or unscrupulous educational and vocational programs. The Isakson-Roe Education Oversight Expansion Act builds on the successes of the comprehensive Isakson and Roe Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020 to boost oversight, foster accountability, and most of all, help veterans access the quality education they deserve. Congressman Mike Levin (CA-49), the sponsor of the original Isakson-Roe Act, is the co-lead for Congressman McGarvey’s bill.
“Veterans should never have to worry that their education will be jeopardized by a predatory institution. Any school that seeks to defraud veterans must be held accountable,” said Rep. Levin. “This bill would strengthen VA’s capacity to rein in unscrupulous education practices and ensure that our veterans are treated fairly. I am proud that the full House passed our legislation and now we hope the Senate will act quickly for it to become law.”
The Isakson-Roe Education Oversight Expansion Act strengthens reporting requirements imposed on entities that are recipients of GI Bill education benefits. This bill requires educational entities to self-report any noncompliance within 30 days; schools that have not reported noncompliance and are found in violation of compliance may face additional penalties. Additionally, the bill requires the VA to create a previously mandated database of risk-based surveys within 180 days to ensure programs receiving federal funds are legitimate and properly serving their veteran populations.
“The American Legion has long been a proponent of oversight of academic institutions where veterans are enrolled," said the American Legion in a statement. “Too often, veterans fall victim to predatory institutions that aim to take advantage of their GI Bill benefits. H.R. 3981 The Isakson-Roe Education Oversight Expansion Act will counter predatory practices by placing more accountability on academic institutions, while mandating that VA create a risk-based survey database to track the legitimacy of academic institutions. The American Legion supports this critical piece of legislation, and we commend Rep. Morgan McGarvey and his staff for the important work they do on behalf of veterans and their families.”
"We applaud the House passage of the much-needed technical improvements proposed in the Isakson-Roe Education Oversight Expansion Act.” said Will Hubbard, Vice President at Veterans Education Success. “By establishing a timeline for the Department of Veterans Affairs to implement the risk-based survey database and simplifying the reporting process for schools to self-report adverse issues, this bill represents a significant step forward in veterans' education. Congressman McGarvey's unwavering commitment to veterans and his exemplary leadership on this important legislation deserve great credit.”
Congressman McGarvey’s legislation has the endorsements of the American Legion, Black Veterans Empowerment Council, Black Veterans Project, Blinded Veterans Association, Blue Star Families, Combined Arms, Common Defense, Disabled American Veterans, Military Family Advisory Network, Military-Veterans Advocacy, Modern Military Association of America, National Guard Association of the United States, Paralyzed Veterans of America, Service to School, Student Veterans of America, National Military Families Association, Veterans Education Success, Veterans for Common Sense, Veterans for Peace, and Vietnam Veterans of America.
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