On the recordMay 23, 2011
Last month, I received a letter from Sergeant First Class Bart Holder, a Montana native who is currently serving our country in Afghanistan. Like many soldiers, Sgt. Holder chose to transfer his GI Bill benefits to his daughter, Madison. Thanks to her father's GI Bill benefits and an academic scholarship, Madison's freshman year tuition was fully paid for. And that's exactly how it should be. But earlier this Spring, Madison was told that, as a result of changes made by Congress to the GI Bill, her benefits would no longer cover the full cost of her tuition. She was told that she would need to find several thousand dollars to make up for the shortfall. This bill, the Restoring GI Bill Fairness Act would bridge that gap for veterans and students like Madison who chose their college before Congress capped their GI Bill payments last December. The GI Bill is about keeping a promise to the men and women who serve their country and the cause of freedom. On the battlefield, soldiers don't leave men behind, and we shouldn't strand students in the middle of their education by reducing their benefits without warning. Congress changed the rules in the middle of the game and veterans and their dependents who made sound fiscal decisions based on the old formulal shouldn't have to pay the price. I am proud to be a co-sponsor of this bill. And I urge all of my colleagues to vote yes on this important piece of legislation.
