Somerset Times

On September 25, 2024, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 7323, known as the Montgomery GI Bill Selected Reserves Tuition Fairness Act of 2024. Included in this legislation is the Veterans Flight Training Responsibility Act of 2024, a bipartisan effort led by Congressman Tom Kean, Jr. (NJ-07). This act aims to expedite flight training for veterans by removing the one-year requirement for accessing their GI Bill benefits.

Under the current GI Bill, students can access up to $26,000 per academic year for flight training. Once these funds are exhausted, they must wait until the next academic year to continue their training.

The bill was introduced by Congressman Tom Kean, Jr. and co-led by Congressman Morgan McGarvey (KY-03).

"Veterans should be able to pursue their aviation careers – or any career – without excessive financial burdens and unnecessary delays," said Congressman Kean. "The current GI bill system needs to be improved and I’m thankful for my House colleagues for passing today’s revised legislation, which included my bill, the Veterans Flight Training Responsibility Act so veteran students can expedite the flight training process."

"Every veteran should be able to use their education benefits however they see fit—and we should be making it easier for them to do so," said Congressman McGarvey. "Our bill would give veterans the flexibility to use their benefits for flight school without breaking the bank, and I’m thrilled to see it pass through the House of Representatives."

Specifically, this bill would cap flight training fees and tuition at approximately $115,000 for public flight training institutions and allow student veterans to use their GI Bill throughout the entire year instead of taking time off or paying out of pocket.