The Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Improvements Act of 2010

Cassandria Dortch
Analyst in Education Policy

Since enactment of the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008 (Post-9/11 GI Bill; P.L. 110-252; Title 38 U.S.C., Chapter 33), there has been discussion of problems and possible enhancements to improve the program's implementation, administration, and benefits. This report summarizes provisions in the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Improvements Act of 2010 (S. 3447), scheduled for Senate committee mark-up on August 5, 2010. 

Major provisions of S. 3447 would amend the Post-9/11 GI Bill (except as otherwise noted) to 

• allow National Guard members to include full-time duty under Title 32 toward their qualifying active duty service; 

• provide full tuition and fees to individuals who are eligible at the 100% benefit level and who attend public institutions of higher learning (IHLs); 

• provide the national average amount for tuition and fees to individuals who are eligible at the 100% benefit level and who attend private or foreign IHLs, subject to the actual tuition and fees charges; 

• reduce the monthly housing allowance received by an eligible individual attending an IHL more than half-time but less than full-time; 

• provide a monthly housing allowance to eligible individuals enrolled more than half-time at an IHL through distance learning on more than a half-time basis; 

• Expand the eligible programs of education to include most programs approved under the Montgomery GI Bill-Active Duty (MGIB-AD; Title 38 U.S.C., Chapter 30), such as on-the-job and apprenticeship, flight, and correspondence training; 

• allow eligible individuals on active duty to receive the books and supplies stipend in the same manner as individuals not on active duty; 

• remove the limit on the number of licensing and certification tests; 

• allow eligible individuals entitled to supplemental educational assistance for additional service under the MGIB-AD to receive remaining payments if the individual elects to receive benefits under the Post-9/11 GI Bill; 

• allow eligible individuals to designate dependents to which benefits would be transferred after the eligible individual is separated from the Armed Forces; 

• allow commissioned officers in the Public Health Service (PHS) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to transfer Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits to their dependents; 

• require the Secretaries concerned to reimburse the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits transferred to dependents and supplemental educational assistance; and 

• amend the Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E; Title 38 U.S.C., Chapter 31) program to allow eligible individuals to elect to receive the national average of the monthly basic allowance for housing (BAH) for a member of the Armed Forces with dependents in pay grade E-5 in lieu of the monthly subsistence allowance currently authorized.


Date of Report: August 2, 2010
Number of Pages: 18
Order Number: R41356
Price: $29.95

Document available via e-mail as a pdf file or in paper form.
To order, e-mail Penny Hill Press or call us at 301-253-0881. Provide a Visa, MasterCard, American Express, or Discover card number, expiration date, and name on the card. Indicate whether you want e-mail or postal delivery. Phone orders are preferred and receive priority processing.