President Donald Trump on March 21 signed a bill into law that will ensure GI Bill benefits aren’t suspended for college programs forced to switch to distance learning because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Without the bill, tuition, housing, and subsistence allowances might have had to be suspended when schools switch from classroom to distance learning formats.
The Air Force Association joined a coalition of organizations that signed a March 17 letter to the leaders House and Senate Veterans Affairs committees urging quick action. With well over 100 educational institutions shuttered and transitioning to online coursework due to the virus, a rapid fix was necessary, they wrote.
“While all students are affected by these course changes, many military-connected students face urgent and unique impacts regarding receipt of GI Bill benefits that are tied to specific types of course approval,” the letter said.