President Trump signs Messer’s Proposal Helping Vets Impacted by ITT Tech Closure Into Law

Measure is part of landmark GI Bill reform package

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2017) — President Donald Trump signed into law today a GI Bill reform package, which includes U.S. Rep. Luke Messer’s (R-IN) proposal to help veterans impacted by the closure of ITT Tech.

Spearheaded by Messer and Rep. Mark Takano (D-CA), the bipartisan proposal retroactively restores GI Bill benefits to veterans who were attending Indiana-based ITT Technical Institute and California-based Corinthian Colleges, both of which closed abruptly impacting tens of thousands of students nationwide, including thousands of veterans.

Their proposal is part of the Harry Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2017, which modernizes several aspects of the GI Bill and expands benefits for military families.

“With President Trump’s signature, thousands of Hoosier veterans who unfairly lost their GI Bill benefits will finally have them restored,” Messer said. “Our servicemen and women earned these benefits and we have a responsibility to honor our commitment to them. With this new law, we are delivering real results and ensuring veterans have the opportunity to succeed.”

Messer heard from many veterans following ITT Tech’s closure, including Jason Nyikos, a U.S. Navy veteran from Greenfield, Indiana, who had to start his degree completely from scratch, after spending two years at ITT Tech.

“Not a single credit transferred, and Jason’s GI Bill is going to run out before he can finish a new degree,” Messer said. “Jason’s story is one among thousands. Our veterans deserve better, and today is a huge victory for them.”

The proposal provides full restoration of GI Bill benefits within 90 days to students who attended ITT Tech and Corinthian Colleges, if they were not able to transfer their credits to a new institution. It also helps veterans who may be impacted by a school closure in the future. Messer introduced legislation to restore these benefits shortly after ITT Tech closed in September of 2016 and he has been working to restore the benefits since.

“Restoring both tuition and housing benefits to veterans for a semester cut short by a school closure is simply the right thing to do,” Takano said. “And by making this provision retroactive, we are restoring a measure of justice for the students at ITT Tech and Corinthian, as well as others across the country who have been left out in the cold by a college that shuts down without warning.”