Rosen, Rubio Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Help Veteran Parents Better Access G.I. Benefits

WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) introduced the bipartisan Education Flexibility for Veteran Parents Act with Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) to allow veterans with children to access full housing benefits provided through the G.I. Bill regardless of whether that program is in person or online. The G.I. Bill is an essential tool for many veterans to advance their education. Currently, veterans who are parents and pursuing their education online are only eligible for half of the G.I. Bill's available housing benefits. This requirement often forces parents to choose between attending in-person classes to receive full benefits or staying at home with their children.

"We should not force veterans who are parents to choose between pursuing higher education and taking care of their family," said Senator Rosen. "I'm helping introduce this bipartisan bill to make sure veterans who have dependent children can receive their full housing stipend even if they pursue a full time online education. Our nation has a responsibility to ensure the men and women who served in uniform get the benefits they need to transition back to civilian life."

"Ensuring our veteran parents can access their G.I. Bill benefits without sacrificing their parental duties is not just a matter of fairness, but of honoring their sacrifices," said Senator Rubio. "The Education Flexibility for Veteran Parents Act seeks to remove unnecessary barriers, while recognizing education shouldn't be a privilege that conflicts with parenthood, but a right that empowers both."

Senator Rosen has been leading bipartisan efforts to support Nevada's veterans. Last month, she helped introduce bipartisan legislation to officially authorize the construction of a new veterans hospital in Reno, which she also successfully pushed the president to include in his 2024 budget request. Earlier this year, Rosen introduced bipartisan legislation to permanently maintain a helpline for veterans to obtain information and assistance with all services from the VA.

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