Good morning,

Nearly 20 veterans organizations oppose AJR-12, and for good reason. This is contrary to information shared by the California-Accredited Law Schools and their lobbyists (ref. letters attached).

Despite all the arguments their lobbyists make, the real question is: who benefits from GI Bill benefits going to these schools? The primary beneficiary of AJR-12 would be the schools themselves, not veterans. This past year, not a single one of these schools had a cumulative pass rate that met the ABA minimum (75% bar pass rate), and over 25% are either on probation, or have lost their accreditation entirely as of 2020: http://www.calbar.ca.gov/Portals/0/documents/admissions/Education/MinimumPassRateStandardCumulativePassRates.pdf.

In today’s economy, mobility is as important as ever. Military families undergo frequent relocations across state lines. Veterans shouldn’t have to settle for a diploma from “lawdegree.com” or other subpar programs, from which they are literally ineligible to sit for the bar exam in nearly every other state. This is especially true with so many other schools in California to choose from, including the UC System.

These are the reasons 40+ national veterans organizations supported the Protect the GI Bill Act, including its provision to limit GI Bill to law schools that are recognized by the bar exams in every state, not just one state.

Thank you for your consideration of these concerns when addressing AJR-12 today.

Respectfully,

William Hubbard

***

To the Honorable Chairs of the California Legislature:

We, the undersigned, understand that certain California law schools that failed to achieve accreditation from the American Bar Association are pushing for a California resolution calling on Congress to undo the federal Protect the GI Bill Act. Please know the Protect the GI Bill Act was, and is, supported by more than 40 of the nation’s largest veterans and military service organizations. We urge you to stand with our organizations and support the Protect the GI Bill Act.

Very sincerely,

AMSUS, The Society Of Federal Healthcare Professionals
Army Aviation Association of America
Blue Star Families
Campaign to Protect Student Veterans
High Ground Veterans Advocacy
Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America
Military Child Education Coalition
Military Order of the Purple Heart
National Military Family Association
Service Women’s Action Network
Student Veterans of America
Swords to Plowshares
Tragedy Assistance Program For Survivors
U.S. Coast Guard Chief Petty Officers Association & Enlisted Association
Veterans and Military Families for Progress
Veterans Education Success
Veterans for Common Sense
Veterans of Foreign Wars
Vietnam Veterans of America

The original letter of support from 40+ national veterans organizations supported the Protect the GI Bill Act

November 21, 2019

Members of the Committee on Veterans Affairs U.S. Senate
Washington, DC 20510

Dear Chairman Isakson, Ranking Member Tester, and Members of the Committee:

Thank you for your many years of strong leadership for America’s veterans. We remain indebted to you for all you have accomplished.

For nearly a decade, Veterans and Military Service Organizations have been asking for veterans and other military-connected students to have the same rights as Title IV students.

Thankfully, parity for veterans and military-connected students is finally close to reality with the bipartisan, unanimously-enacted House Veterans Affairs Committee’s bill, HR 4625. We are so grateful. Please support HR 4625 in your committee. This important legislation provides the following provisions to support and protect GI Bill students:

  • Restores veterans’ and military-connected students’ education benefits if their school suddenly closes (providing parity with students protected under Title IV);
  • Requires schools, not students, to repay tuition overpayments since schools receive tuition funds directly from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) (providing parity with students protected under Title IV);
  • Protects veterans’ and military-connected students’ education benefits from schools terminated by the Education Department (ED). Earlier this year, ED terminated Argosy for stealing Title IV federal student aid, but VA did not have statutory authority to protect veterans’ education benefits;
  • Requires common-sense oversight of schools following punitive action by federal or state government or the accreditor; and
  • Strengthens existing statutes to ensure VA compliance.

We humbly request your leadership to ensure this bill’s passage as soon as possible. We would appreciate the opportunity to meet with you to discuss this legislation.

We thank you.

Sincerely,

Air Force Association
Air Force Sergeants Association
American Legion
AMVETS
AMSUS, The Society Of Federal Healthcare Professionals
Army Aviation Association of America
Association of the United States Army
Blue Star Families
Chief Warrant and Warrant Officers Association
Commissioned Officers Assn. of the U.S. Public Health Services, Inc.
Disabled American Veterans
Fleet Reserve Association
Gold tar Wives of America
High Ground Veterans Advocacy
Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America
Ivy League Veterans Council
Jewish War Veterans of the USA
The Military Chaplains Assn. of the USA
Military Child Education Coalition
Military Officers Association of America
Military Order of the Purple Heart
The Mission Continues
National Military Family Association
Non-Commissioned Officers Assn. of the United States of America
Paralyzed Veterans of America
Service 2 School
Service Women’s Action Network
Student Veterans of America
Swords to Plowshares
Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors
Travis Manion Foundation
The Retired Enlisted Association
U.S. Army Warrant Officers Association
U.S. Coast Guard Chief Petty Officers Association & Enlisted Association
Veterans for Common Sense
Veterans Education Success
San Diego University Veterans Law Clinic
Veterans Student Loan Relief Fund
Veterans of Foreign Wars
VetsFirst
Vietnam Veterans of America

 

Download the letter here

Assembly Joint Resolution No. 12 - Letters of Opposition_signed