For Immediate Release
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Contact:
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November 7, 2019
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202-224-5824
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Cassidy, Warren Introduce Legislation to Protect Student Veterans’ Housing Benefits During Natural Disasters
WASHINGTON– U.S.
Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) today
introduced legislation protect student veterans from losing their
housing benefits in the event a natural disaster.
Under
current law, veterans’ housing benefits could end if a natural disaster
closes a school for longer than a month. The Strengthening Disaster
Assistance for Student Veterans Act grants the Veterans Affairs
secretary the authority to extend those benefits.
“Student veterans have earned their benefits with their service to our nation,” said Dr. Cassidy, a member of the Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs.
“Losing those benefits because of a disaster is a failure of the law.
When recovering after disaster, losing housing should not be on the list
of worries for our veterans.”
“All
three of my older brothers served in the military and taught me about
the importance of honoring our promises to the brave men and women in
uniform, who deserve the opportunity to build a future for themselves
and their families,” said Senator Warren, member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee. “Student
veterans should never have to worry about obstacles that can undermine
their educational goals, including affording a place to live when their
school is closed due to an emergency, and that’s why Senator Cassidy and
I have a bipartisan bill to ensure our government keeps its promises to
our student veterans.”
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