Says Bill Discriminates Against Veterans Who Wish To Become Professional Pilots

A letter-writing campaign has been mounted by an ad-hoc group which hopes to defeat HR 476, which the organization spearheading the effort says discriminates against Veterans wishing to use their benefits to become professional pilots.

On a website designed to send letters to Congress on a variety of issues, the group "Stop HR 476 - Protect Veterans Post 9/11 Benefits" says that while the bill is titled: "GI Bill Education Quality Enhancement Act of 2015", it will actually eliminate the opportunity for Veterans to become professional pilots after serving their Country and earning their Post 9/11 GI Bill Benefits.

"If passed, HR 476 prohibits VA from including flight training fees in the in-state tuition and fees at public institutions of higher education (IHEs) that are covered by post-9/11 veterans' educational assistance," The web posting says.

"This bill places an immediate cap on the annual, total tuition & fees covered by the Post 9/11 GI Bill by including public as well as private colleges in the annual cap," the petition says.

"These effects are immediate and will apply to all current and future Veterans who wish to use their earned benefits to become professional pilots. Moreover, Veterans currently enrolled in Flight Training will lose their funding."

(Image from group Facebook page)

FMI: www.facebook.com/pages/Stop-HR-476-Protect-Veterans-Post-911-Benefits/1552287895036776?sk=info&tab=page_info, https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/house-bill/476