The military tuition program fix is not approved by the Virginia Senate

Richmond, Virginia – Recessing for a second time, the Virginia Senate failed to reverse contentious modifications to the state’s Military Survivors and Dependents Education Program.

The program offers financial aid for college to the relatives of first responders and military personnel who have died or are injured while performing their duties.

The new two-year budget plan that was approved in May contained changes to the program that caused concern among military families who rely on the benefits.

By a unanimous vote on Friday, the House of Delegates completely repealed the budget language. On Monday afternoon, senators reconvened at the State Capitol to discuss the matter once more.
A bill that proponents claimed would completely undo the divisive amendments was reported by the Senate Finance Committee. However, Republicans expressed alarm about another component in the bill that required kids to achieve adequate academic progress.

Due to a provision requiring at least 48 hours notice before a budget vote, the entire Senate was never able to vote on the motion on Monday. A request to exempt that condition was denied.

“The advocates, many of which are up here in the chamber, are going to get exactly what they don’t want because people have chosen to play politics,” said Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell (D-Fairfax County). “And it’s really a sad day, because we are the ones who have been fighting to preserve this program for the families that need it.”

“The families of our military veterans who are going to college, the first responders who are going to college, planning out their futures, they don’t care how we got here, why we got here. All they care is that we are here and that we are not getting the job done,” said Sen. Mark Peake (R-Lynchburg). We need to fix this.”

Governor Youngkin issued the following statement after the meeting, stating that lawmakers from both houses ought to reconvene the next week to discuss the matter on the same day:

“The Senate Democrat leadership is hurting our military heroes, first responders and their families every time they show up and do nothing, as well as wasting time and taxpayer money,” said Governor Glenn Youngkin. “A full, clean repeal, which passed out of the House unanimously, and was supported by a bipartisan majority in the Senate, could have been signed today. An additional $45 million appropriation could have passed the Senate today, as well. Senate Democrat Leadership instead insisted on making changes to benefits without an open process. Changes to VMSDEP need to occur in an open, transparent process during the regular legislative session, with our Gold Star, military and first responder families at the table. The Senate and House need to agree to return next week, on the same day, so we can settle this issue once and for all, with the clean, and full, repeal bill. If they can’t agree on coming back together to fix this, I will call them back to do exactly that.”