Austin News

U.S. Senators John Cornyn and Alex Padilla have announced that their Isakson-Roe Education Oversight Expansion Act has been signed into law as part of the National Defense Authorization Act. This legislation aims to enhance the oversight capabilities of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to ensure veterans can access quality education at reputable institutions.

Senator Cornyn stated, "Our veterans deserve to put their hard-earned education benefits toward degrees and certifications from trustworthy institutions. This law will help the VA root out fraud among schools and ensure veterans have access to quality education."

Senator Padilla emphasized, "Veterans should have access to their hard-earned GI Bill benefits without fear of exploitation. This bipartisan legislation becoming law is an important step toward that mission, and I will keep fighting to break down the barriers to quality higher education access."

The companion legislation in the House was led by U.S. Representatives Morgan McGarvey and Mike Levin.

The G.I. Bill provides many veterans with education benefits for college, graduate school, and vocational training at VA-approved institutions. However, some institutions may engage in deceptive practices or face punitive actions from state or federal authorities, potentially jeopardizing veterans' educational investments.

To address this issue, the new law mandates that all VA-approved institutions report any adverse actions taken against them within 30 days to both the State Approving Agencies (SAA) and the VA.