[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 174 (Monday, December 5, 2016)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1584]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          PROTECTING VETERANS' EDUCATIONAL CHOICE ACT OF 2016

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                         HON. CHRIS VAN HOLLEN

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, November 29, 2016

  Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Speaker, I submit this statement in support of 
H.R. 5047, the Protecting Veterans' Educational Choice Act of 2016. I 
will be unable to submit my recorded vote but I fully support this 
legislation that ensures that veterans will not be unwittingly 
exploited by deceptive recruiters.
  H.R. 5047 is a bipartisan bill that reinforces our commitment to the 
success of our service members, on and off the battlefield. The bill 
requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to supply all information 
regarding articulation agreements to service members who wish to use 
their VA education benefits. The bill will inform service members, in 
advance, if and how they can transfer credits and avoid unwittingly 
misusing their VA education benefits.
  In 2010, Congress passed the Post-9/11 Veterans Education Assistance 
Improvements Act which expanded educational benefits to include more 
service members and allows them to use their benefits to receive not 
only traditional degrees but also apprenticeships, vocational training 
certifications, and on-the-job training. This expansion was vital in 
providing access to a variety of educational platforms but some for-
profit institutions focused on recruiting and scamming service members 
out of their benefits. H.R. 5047 provides education career counseling 
to make sure service members are informed of their options.

                          ____________________