(U.S. Senate) – Ranking Member Jon Tester today released the following statement in response to VA Secretary Robert Wilkie’s decision to reset the implementation of certain provisions in the Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act due to delayed benefit payments to student veterans.

“The VA must ensure that student veterans are receiving their G.I. Bill payments on time. If the contractor who is responsible for implementing the Educational Assistance Act is causing payments to be late, then the VA should find a contractor who can get the job done right. Our veterans deserve better than this. I’m disappointed in VA’s inability to implement this important law on time, but the number one priority must be taking care of our veterans, and I will be watching closely as Secretary Wilkie takes charge moving forward. ”

Tester’s fifth bipartisan bill to be signed into law by President Trump, the Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act, also known as the Forever G.I. Bill, gets rid of the arbitrary 15-year window for veterans to use their G.I. Bill education benefits and strengthens education benefits for student veterans.

More information about Tester’s law can be found online HERE.