On the recordSeptember 11, 2012
I thank the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Bilirakis) for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 4057, as amended. This is a bipartisan bill that at its core will help our youngest group of veterans make more informed choices about how to use their VA education benefits. I think it's very appropriate today that as we remember 9/11 and those who died that day and those who have died since defending our Nation that we are discussing this bill on the floor. The post-9/11 GI Bill is a wonderful benefit that thousands of veterans are using or have used to advance their education and training. H.R. 4057 will further assist these veterans in making decisions on how to best use their GI Bill benefits through new, innovative online tools and by providing greater transparency on certain data from educational institutions. By helping these veterans make more informed choices, we are not only putting them on the path to successful careers, but we are saving taxpayer dollars that may have been misused at a training program that didn't suit the veteran's needs. As chairman of the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity, I'm proud of the work that Mr. Bilirakis, Mr. Braley, and the rest of the members of the subcommittee have done to improve this bill; and thanks to our colleagues on the Health Subcommittee for their provisions as well. I want to thank Chairman Miller and the ranking member for their support of this legislation. I ask my colleagues to support the bill.
