WASHINGTON, D.C., USA — Critics said the Post-9/11 GI Bill has failed thousands of American veterans by allowing low-quality, for-profit educational programs to take their benefits, saddling vets with non-transferable college credits, worthless degrees, and crippling debt.
But a new Government Accountability Office report said the situation is far worse when one of those schools suddenly closes.
"This may make it more difficult for veterans to complete their degrees before exhausting their benefits," said Melissa Emery-Amas of the Government Accountability Office.
Thousands of vets have been left without a clear path to continuing their education with academic credits that couldn't be transferred to more reputable schools and no degree.
"The numbers seem staggering that the credits for students that went from a for-profit institution to a public institution, 94 percent of their credits were lost," said Rep. Elaine Luria (D-Virginia, 2nd District).
The report found that the cost to taxpayers, due to discharged federal student loans, will be $320 million from 2018 through 2027.
Today, the House Veterans Affairs Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity searched for solutions.
"Our veterans only get one shot at it," said Rep. Gus Bilrakis (R-Florida). "And we want to make sure that they have the opportunity to make the best of it."
The committee chairman vowed that his panel will try.
"We all just want to solve the problem," said Rep. Mike Levin (D-California). "When you talk about the thousands and thousands of our veterans who get caught up in these failing schools and now are devastated financially and otherwise, that's too many and we've got to do better."