We collaborate with our veteran & military allies to maximize our collective advocacy impact, offering policy recommendations to Congress and federal agencies.
OUR LETTERS TO CONGRESS
Letter to Congress from 44 Organizations on Supporting Student Parents in the next COVID-19 Relief Package
The Honorable Nancy Pelosi Speaker of the House U.S. House of Representatives Washington, DC 20515 The Honorable Mitch McConnell Majority Leader U.S. Senate Washington, DC 20510 The Honorable Kevin McCarthy Minority Leader U.S. House of [...]
Letter to Congress: Stars and Stripes Funding for Fiscal Year 2021
September 16, 2020 The Honorable Richard Shelby The Honorable Patrick Leahy Senate Committee on Appropriations Room S-128, The Capitol Washington, D.C. 20510 Stars and Stripes Funding for Fiscal Year 2021 Dear Chairman Shelby and Vice [...]
VSO-MSO Letter to Congress About COVID Legislation and Veterans Issues
June 3, 2020 The Honorable Jerry Moran, Chairman The Honorable Jon Tester, Ranking Member Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee Washington, DC 20510 Washington, DC 20510 The Honorable Mark Takano, Chairman The Honorable [...]
Letter from 25 Organizations to Congress on COVID-19 and State Higher Education Support
April 27, 2020 The Honorable Nancy Pelosi Speaker of the House U.S. House of Representatives H-232, The Capitol Washington, DC 20515 The Honorable Kevin McCarthy Minority Leader U.S. House of Representatives H-204, The Capitol Washington, [...]
Letter from 51 Higher Education Organizations to Congress in Support of Today’s Students in Response to COVID-19
March 18, 2020 Dear Speaker Pelosi, Leader McCarthy, Leader McConnell, and Leader Schumer: As new cases of COVID-19 exposure and infection arise every day, many of the nation’s institutions of higher education are suspending or [...]
Our Statement for the Record: Legislative Priorities for 2020
STATEMENT FOR THE RECORD LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES SUBMITTED TO THE SENATE AND HOUSE COMMITTEES ON VETERANS AFFAIRS SECOND SESSION 116TH CONGRESS March 9, 2020 Chairmen Moran and Takano, Ranking Members Tester and Bilirakis, and Members of [...]
Letter to the Senate regarding “short-term” programs for Pell
A letter from Veterans Education Success and leading education policy organizations to the Senate education committee leaders urging evidence-based, data-driven decision-making on opening Pell Grants up to very short-term programs.
Our Statement for the Record on VA’s Budget Request for 2021
STATEMENT FOR THE RECORD COMMITTEE HEARING ON U.S. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS BUDGET REQUEST FOR FISCAL YEAR 2021 SUBMITTED TO THE COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS U.S HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES February 27, 2020 Chairman Takano, Ranking [...]
Thank You Letter to House Appropriations Committee for DOL VETS DVP Program
Below is a thank you letter from 17 veterans organizations to the House Appropriations Committee for including funding for the 2020 Department of Labor VETS program to establish a Disabled Veteran Program (DVP). [...]
OUR LETTERS TO VA
Letter to VA and Georgia SAA Regarding House of Prayer Christian Church
August 2020 We asked VA and the Georgia State Approving Agency to investigate alleged abuses of the GI Bill program by House of Prayer Christian bible seminary. To protect the privacy of witnesses, this version [...]
Comment to VA on Its Employees’ Conflicts of Interest in For-Profit Schools
August 21, 2020 Dr. Paul Lawrence, Undersecretary for Benefits Veterans Benefits Administration Department of Veterans Affairs 810 Vermont Avenue NW Washington, DC 20420 Via electronic submission Re: VBA’s Collection of Conflicting Interests Certification for Proprietary [...]
Letter to VA and CSAAVE Requesting a Risk-Based Review of Ashford University
July 27, 2020 The Honorable Keith Boylan Deputy Secretary Veterans Services California Department of Veterans Affairs California State Approving Agency for Veterans Education 1227 O Street, Suite 625 Sacramento, CA 95814 Patrick Dworakowski, [...]
Our Comment to VA on the Collection of Reports and Notices from State Approving Agencies
June 22, 2020 Nancy J. Kessinger Veterans Benefits Administration Department of Veterans Affairs 810 Vermont Ave. N.W. Washington, D.C., 20420 Dear Ms. Kessinger: I am writing to provide comments on the Department of Veterans [...]
Our Letter to the VA Advisory Committee on Veterans’ Readjustment
Our letter to the VA Advisory Committee on the Readjustment of Veterans June 11, 2020 Department of Veterans Affairs Readjustment Counseling Service (10RCS) 810 Vermont Avenue Washington DC 20420 Via electronic submission to [...]
Comment on the Department of Veterans Affairs’ Principles of Excellence Complaint System Intake
June 2, 2020 Department of Veterans Affairs Veterans Benefits Administration 810 Vermont Avenue NW Washington, DC 20420 Via electronic submission Re: Principles of Excellence Complaint System Intake, OMB Control No. 2900-0797 Dear Sir/Madam: [...]
Letter to VA Requesting that it Reevaluate Galvanize, Inc.’s Status as a “Preferred” VET TEC Provider
We submitted a letter to the US Department of Veterans Affairs requesting that it reevaluate Galvanize, Inc.'s status as a "preferred" VET TEC provider and its eligibility for VET TEC funding.
Our Comment on the Department of Veterans Affairs’ Collection of Education and Licensing Records
May 11, 2020 Department of Veterans Affairs Veterans Benefits Administration 810 Vermont Avenue NW Washington, DC 20420 Via electronic submission Re: Availability of Education, Licensing, and Certification Records, OMB Control No. 2900-0696 Dear Sir/Madam: Thank [...]
Joint Military & Veteran Service Organization Letter: Praising VA’s Effort to Protect Veterans and Taxpayers from Schools that Mislead Prospective Students
April 9, 2020 The Honorable Robert Wilkie U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs 810 Vermont Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20420 Dear Secretary Wilkie: Thank you for enforcing 38 U.S.C. § 3696, which is critical in stopping [...]
Letter to VA Regarding GI Bill Feedback Tool and 38 USC 3696 Compliance
January 21, 2020 Charmain Bogue, Executive Director U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Veterans Benefits Administration, Education Service 810 Vermont Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20420 Re: 38 U.S.C. § 3696 and University of Phoenix, [...]
OUR LETTERS TO THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT
Comment from 15 Groups on Federal Student Aid’s Strategic Plan FY 2020-24
October 23, 2020 Major General Mark A. Brown, USAF (Ret.) Chief Operating Officer Office of Federal Student Aid 830 First Street, NE Washington, DC 20202 Re: Comments on FSA’s Approach to Financial [...]
Letter from 77 Organizations Asking for the Extension of the Suspension of Student of Loan Payments
October 28, 2020 The Honorable Betsy DeVos Secretary of Education U.S. Department of Education 400 Maryland Ave., SW Washington, DC 20202 Dear Secretary DeVos: We, the 77 undersigned community, civil rights, consumer, [...]
Our Comment on Federal Student Aid’s Draft Strategic Plan FY 2020-24
Affiliation: Other Name and Name of Organization: This comment is submitted by James Haynes on behalf of Veterans Education Success. Part 2: Strategic Goals and Objectives X Strategic Goal 1 X Strategic Goal 3 X [...]
Letter from 20 groups to the Department of Education regarding the Center for Excellence in Higher Education
October 14, 2020 Secretary Betsy DeVos U.S. Department of Education 400 Maryland Ave., SW Washington, D.C. 20202 Dear Secretary DeVos: We urge the U.S. Department of Education to promptly address issues raised by [...]
Our Comment to the Department of Education about the New Universal Borrower Defense Form
September 28, 2020 U.S. Department of Education 400 Maryland Avenue SW Washington, DC 20202 Via electronic submission Re: Borrower Defense to Loan Repayment Universal Form, Docket Number: ED-2020-SCC-0043 Dear Sir/Ma’am: Thank you for the [...]
Our Testimony to the Education Dept. NACIQI Hearing on Accreditors
Testimony of Walter Ochinko Research Director, Veterans Education Success U.S. Department of Education National Advisory Council on Institutional Quality and Integrity (NACIQI) Review of the Higher Learning Commission July 29, 2020 Thank you for the [...]
Our Comment on the Department of Education’s Interim Final Rule regarding the Emergency Grant Program in the CARES Act
July 14, 2020 Department of Education Office of Postsecondary Education 400 Maryland Ave., SW Washington, DC 20202 Via electronic submission Re: Interim Final Rule on CARES Act Eligibility for Emergency Grants, Docket ID ED-2020-OPE-0078 [...]
Letter from Student Veterans of America and Veterans Education Success to Secretary DeVos on CARES Act Guidance
May 19, 2020 The Honorable Betsy DeVos Secretary of Education Department of Education 400 Maryland Avenue SW Washington, DC 20202 Re: CARES Act Guidance and Military-Connected Students Dear Secretary DeVos: On behalf of veterans, service [...]
Comment from 50 Groups on Proposed Distance Education and Innovation Regulations
May 4, 2020 Mr. Gregory Martin U.S. Department of Education 400 Maryland Ave. SW, Mail Stop 294-42 Washington, DC 20202. Re: Distance Education and Innovation, Docket ID number ED-2018-OPE-0076-0845 Submitted electronically via: http://regulations.gov Dear Mr. [...]
Our Comment on the Department of Education’s Proposed Distance Education and Innovation Regulations
May 4, 2020 Gregory Martin U.S. Department of Education 400 Maryland Avenue SW Mail Stop 294-42 Washington, DC 20202 Submitted via online portal Re: Distance Education and Innovation, Docket ID: ED-2018-OPE-0076-0845 Dear Mr. Martin: Thank [...]
OUR LETTERS TO THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Letter to Congress: Stars and Stripes Funding for Fiscal Year 2021
September 16, 2020 The Honorable Richard Shelby The Honorable Patrick Leahy Senate Committee on Appropriations Room S-128, The Capitol Washington, D.C. 20510 Stars and Stripes Funding for Fiscal Year 2021 Dear Chairman Shelby and Vice [...]
Protecting Servicemember Loan Rates
Military and veteran groups wrote to the Department of Defense thanking them for automating SCRA rights and asking for restitution to servicemembers who previously were not accorded to these rights that they were entitled to. [...]
Press Release: Our Full-Page Ad for the Military Lending Act
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, SEPTEMBER 6, 2018 CONTACT: Dom Slowey, 781-710-0014 dslowey@sloweymcmanus.com Mike Saunders: 202-838-5050 mikesaunders@veteranseducationsuccess.org Veterans & Military Service Organizations Urge CFPB & DOD Not To Rollback Servicemembers' Protections Under the Military Lending Act WASHINGTON [...]
CFPB and DoD: Protect Servicemembers’ Rights
38 veterans and military service organizations call on the US Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and US Defense Department to stop the rollback of servicemembers' rights under the Military Lending Act Resubmitted Sept. [...]
Veteran Organizations Thank DOD for Enforcing its Rules against University of Phoenix
National Organizations Thank Defense Department for Enforcing its Rules to Protect Service Members from Deceptive Recruiting
Public Comment by Veteran and Military Organizations on DOD’s Tuition Assistance MOU
Public Comment by Veterans & Military Organizations Providing Suggestions to Defense Department on Tuition Assistance MOU
Military & Veteran Education Bill of Rights
A Bill of Rights for veterans and service members to rein in harmful practices while promoting educational success
OUR LETTERS TO THE CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU
Our Comment on Time-Barred (“Zombie”) Debt Collection
August 4, 2020 Director Kathleen Kraninger Consumer Financial Protection Bureau 1700 G Street NW Washington, DC 20552 Re: Proposed Time-Barred Debt Disclosures, Docket No. CFPB-2020-0010 or RIN 3170-AA41 Dear Director Kraninger: [...]
21 Military & Veteran Organizations’ Letter to CFPB on Debt Collection
Veterans Education Success organized and led a letter from 21 national military and veteran service organizations to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau regarding its proposed changes to debt collection rules.
Veterans and Military Service Organizations urge the US Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to maintain mandatory underwriting provisions of the rule regulating Payday, vehicle title and high-cost installment loans
Military and Veteran Service Organizations (MSO/VSOs) write to express opposition to recension of underwriting requirements of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s (CFPB) 2017 rule regulating Payday, Vehicle Title and Certain High-Cost Installment Loans.
Veterans and Military Service Organizations urge the US Consumer Financial Protection Bureau not to delay implementation of Payday Loans protection rule
The undersigned Military and Veteran Service Organizations (MSO/VSOs) write to express opposition to the proposed delay of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s (CFPB) 2017 rule regulating Payday, Vehicle Title and Certain High-Cost Installment Loans. The [...]
Press Release: Our Full-Page Ad for the Military Lending Act
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, SEPTEMBER 6, 2018 CONTACT: Dom Slowey, 781-710-0014 dslowey@sloweymcmanus.com Mike Saunders: 202-838-5050 mikesaunders@veteranseducationsuccess.org Veterans & Military Service Organizations Urge CFPB & DOD Not To Rollback Servicemembers' Protections Under the Military Lending Act WASHINGTON [...]
CFPB and DoD: Protect Servicemembers’ Rights
38 veterans and military service organizations call on the US Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and US Defense Department to stop the rollback of servicemembers' rights under the Military Lending Act Resubmitted Sept. [...]
Protection for the Office of Servicemember Affairs
Our public comment urging the US Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to maintain robust consumer financial education and to protect the Office of Servicemember Affairs
Letter to CFPB Regarding Consumer Complaints
Veterans and Military leaders urge the US Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to maintain robust public reporting and database of consumer complaints
Monitoring Student Loan Servicers
Letter from VES to U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau re: monitoring of student loan servicers
OUR LETTERS TO THE FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION
Our Memorandum to the Federal Trade Commission regarding Ashford University
MEMORANDUM REGARDING ASHFORD UNIVERSITY TO THE FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION Veterans Education Success presents the following information for consideration by the Federal Trade Commission. Veterans Education Success is a non-profit organization that works [...]
Press Release: Veterans Education Success Petitions the Federal Trade Commission to Investigate For-Profit Colleges and Controversial Lead Generators
For Immediate Release Contact: Aniela Szymanski, Senior Director of Legal Affairs and Military Policy | aniela@vetsedsuccess.org June 24, 2020 Veterans Education Success Petitions the Federal Trade Commission to Investigate For-Profit Colleges and Controversial Lead [...]
Our FTC Petition: Lead Generators
Complaint, Request for Investigation, Injunction, and Other Relief Submitted by Veterans Education Success Pursuant to the Commission’s Rules, 16 C.F.R. § 2.2, Veterans Education Success respectfully requests that the Commission institute an investigation of businesses [...]
Our FTC Petition: Army.com and Partner Schools
Complaint, Request for Investigation, Injunction, and Other Relief Submitted by Veterans Education Success Pursuant to the Commission’s Rules, 16 C.F.R. § 2.2, Veterans Education Success respectfully requests that the Commission institute an investigation of schools [...]
The Predatory Underworld of Companies that Target Veterans for a Buck
The recent law enforcement crackdown on for-profit colleges is well documented. These schools mislead students by promising a fast track to a brighter future and then loaded students up with mountains of debt for worthless [...]
Free Credit Monitoring for Servicemembers
VES and other veterans and military service organizations write to US Federal Trade Commission regarding free credit monitoring for servicemembers
Our Letter to FTC Regarding Fake Military Recruiting Websites
28 Veterans and Military Leaders ask US Federal Trade Commission to release the names of the schools that participated in fake military recruiting websites Related letter to US Congressional Armed Services Committees [...]
Piercing the Veil of Covert For-Profit Colleges
Recent efforts by certain predatory for-profit colleges to convert to nonprofit status1 raises the question of whether the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) can continue to exercise jurisdiction over those entities’ misleading and deceptive recruiting [...]
Public Comments | Victory Media, “Gi Jobs” and “Military Friendly” Settlement
The Federal Trade Commission and Victory Media, Inc. have reached a proposed administrative consent agreement resolving allegations that Victory Media violated Section 5 of the FTC Act in connection with its promotion of post-secondary schools [...]
Our Letter to FTC Regarding “Military Friendly” Schools
19 Veterans and Military service organizations' public comment on US Federal Trade Commission's proposed settlement with Victory Media's "Military Friendly Schools" Additional comments by Student Veterans of America Additional comments [...]
OUR LETTERS TO THE STATES
Coalition Letter to California Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education and COVID-19 Response
We represent a group of student, veteran, consumer, civil rights, and higher education advocates focused on ensuring that higher education students in California are protected from predatory schools and have access to high-quality education that [...]
Letter to State AGs regarding the University of Phoenix
February 14, 2020 Dear Attorneys General: As you may have heard, on December 10, 2019, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced a proposed settlement[1] with the University of Phoenix (UOP). In its investigation, the [...]
SB 1544 VSO/MSO Coalition Letter in Support
SB 1544 support letter for 90/10 loophole closure coalition letter signed by 13 VSOs and MSOs
Veterans Education Success Letter in Support for SB 1544
"We at Veterans Education Success are writing in support of Senate Bill 1544. This bill will protect veterans and servicemembers from fraud and abuse by predatory colleges that target them with aggressive and deceptive recruiting just to get their GI Bill."
Veterans and Military Service Organization Letter of Support: AB 1343- Revising the 90/10 Rule
16 leading national VSO and MSO write letter to the California Assembly Committee on Education in support of closing the 90/10 loophole.
Veterans and Military Service Organization Letter of Support: Closing the 90/10 Loophole in New York State
16 leading national VSO and MSO write letter to the New York State Senate Committee on Higher Education in support of closing the 90/10 loophole.
Veterans and Military Service Organization Letter of Support: HB 2976 – Closing the 90/10 Loophole
16 leading national VSO and MSO write letter to the Oregon House Committee on Education in support of closing the 90/10 loophole
Veteran and Military Organizations Support Proposed California Regulation
Letter from 21 national organizations representing veterans, active-duty military, and students in support of proposed rule-making to title 12 of California Code of Regulations regarding CSAAVE title 38 approval of postsecondary institutions
Public Comment by Veterans and Military Organizations on Deceptive Marketing by For-Profit Schools
Public Comment by Veterans & Military Organizations on the Massachusetts Attorney General's Proposed Regulations on Deceptive Marketing by For-Profit Schools
OUR LETTERS TO OTHERS
Comment from Nine Higher Education Groups on the Higher Learning Commission’s Proposed Standards and Policy Revisions
Dr. Barbara Gellman-Danley President Higher Learning Commission 230 South LaSalle Street, Suite 7-500, Chicago, IL 60604 May 25, 2020 Dear Dr. Gellman-Danley and the Higher Learning Commission, Thank you for the opportunity to provide comment [...]
Advocates and Veterans Groups Urge Financial Institutions to Follow Military Consumer Protection Law During Covid-19 Mobilizations
On Friday, May 1 the Student Borrower Protection Center, Student Veterans of America, Veterans Education Success, and over a dozen national military and veteran service organizations sent letters to the nation’s major financial institutions urging [...]
Comment from Five Higher Education Groups on Proposed NC-SARA Manual Modification
National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements President/CEO and Board of Directors 3005 Center Green Drive Suite 130 Boulder, Colorado 80301 April 28, 2020 Dear President Williams and Members of the Board: Re: Proposed NC-SARA [...]
Letter to President Donald J. Trump from 34 Military & Veteran Service Organizations Urging Support for H.J. Res 76
March 13, 2020 The Honorable Donald J. Trump The White House Washington, DC 20500 Dear President Trump: In August 2019, you stood with veterans in directing the Education Department to ensure that all totally and [...]
Letter to State AGs regarding the University of Phoenix
February 14, 2020 Dear Attorneys General: As you may have heard, on December 10, 2019, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced a proposed settlement[1] with the University of Phoenix (UOP). In its investigation, the [...]
We submitted a formal “Third Party Comment” regarding the accreditor ACICS to the Council for Higher Education Accreditation
We ask you to please review the following two letters regarding ACICS. The concerns of Veterans and Military Service Organizations regarding ACICS still stand:
New York Post Letter to the Editor by our State Policy Manager Ramond Curtis
“Veterans organizations, including the American Legion, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, the Association of the US Navy, and a dozen others are calling on Albany to enact Gov. Cuomo’s "For-Profit College Accountability Act”
DOL Urged to Exercise Caution With Apprenticeship Programs
Letter urging the US Department of Labor to ensure adequate quality controls in apprenticeship programs approved for GI Bill
Letter urging the FCC to protect veterans’ internet access
In an age when work, banking, communicating, healthcare, and more are all tied to the internet, it is important to protect the internet access to those veterans who need it most.
Veterans and Military Organizations Ask University of Phoenix to Stop Deceiving Veterans
Veterans and Military Organizations Ask Buyers of University of Phoenix to Voluntarily Close 90/10 Loophole, Stop Deceptive Recruiting of Veterans and Service Members
OUR ADVOCACY
See how we are working to advance higher education success, protecting the integrity and promise of the GI Bill.
Our Advocacy Letters
We collaborate with our veteran & military allies to maximize our collective advocacy impact. We frequently submit formal letters, with policy recommendations, to federal agencies and Congress.
We work with Congressional Committees and Members to introduce bills, hold hearings, and urge the executive branch to protect military-connected students.
Our Work with the Executive Branch
We work with federal agencies to ensure military-connected students’ hard-earned education benefits are successful and effective.
Our Work with the States
An emerging area of our work is helping state policymakers better understand and address the need to improve college quality and accountability.
Congressional Roundtable: From GI Bill Student to U.S. Representative
In 2020 we hosted a roundtable discussion featuring Members of Congress who used federal education benefit programs like the GI Bill to support their journey through higher education. Learn what they said about their experience and more.
