Washington, DC– Representative Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11) secured passage of her legislation, the GI Bill Foreign Institution Electronic Payments Act, in the House. The bipartisan bill will improve educational opportunities for veterans by streamlining the process for veterans or those using VA education benefits to attend foreign institutions.
"A technical issue should not be a barrier to our veterans' ability to access their hard-earned education benefits. After hearing the concerns from veterans in my community, I worked hard to create legislation that will cut through red tape and update how the VA is able to transfer educational assistance payments if a veteran chooses to attend an institution of higher learning outside of the US," said Rep. Sherrill. "I am so proud to have secured this legislative win for my veteran constituents and to see this bill pass the House."
Currently, the VA's payment system requires that, in order for institutions to receive payment, they must have an Employer Identification Number. Many foreign universities do not have EIN's as they do not file taxes in the United States. The bill would require the VA to update its current payment system so that an Employer Identification Number is no longer required for the VA to issue payment. This would allow Veterans to expand their horizons at universities worldwide.
"As a veteran who knows the benefit an international perspective can give when helping Americans, I chose to pursue my higher education abroad. After completing my Ph.D., I plan on returning to the US to begin a career in academia. However, because of the current VA structure, I have not been able to use the GI Bill to which I am entitled. This has resulted in unnecessary financial strain and mental stress. Passing the GI Bill Foreign Institution Electronic Payments Act will help veterans abroad like myself gain access to the benefits we deserve. We will be able to pursue our education unhindered and use our experiences to provide an even greater contribution to society," said Christian Pierce, a U.S. Army veteran and NJ-11 constituent.
Rep. Sherrill is a graduate of the US Naval Academy and served in the Navy for almost 10 years as a helicopter pilot and Russian policy officer. As a Russian policy officer, she worked on the implementation of our nuclear treaty obligations and oversaw the relationship between the U.S. Navy and Russian Federation Navy. She now serves on the House Armed Services and Education and Labor Committees.
Throughout her time in Congress, Rep. Sherrill has fought to bolster the educational benefits for our nation's veterans. Her bipartisan GI Bill NEED Act protects access to veterans' GI Bill and Veteran Readiness and Employment educational and vocational programs from expiring due to national emergencies, such as a pandemic. This legislation passed the House last May.
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