H.R. 5151 would make changes to two education benefit programs that are managed by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Enacting the bill would increase direct spending by $3 million over the 2022-2031 period, CBO estimates.
Under the Post-9/11 GI Bill, VA pays for tuition, housing, and other expenses for up to 36 months for beneficiaries pursuing approved education or training programs. Service members who complete at least six years of active duty and agree to perform another four years can typically transfer all or a portion of their Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits to their dependents. Those dependents must be designated to receive transferred benefits before service members are discharged from the armed forces. That designation is typically made by service members initially transferring at least one month of benefits to each dependent.
