Dear Veteran Supporter,

Please support House Bill 472, In-State Tuition for Veterans and House Bill 1164, Priority Class Registration for Student Veterans.  House Bill 472 establishes in-state tuition residency for veterans, their spouses and dependents by amending the December 15, 1982 act that only provided only limited residency status on military personnel, their dependents and civilian personnel assigned to an active duty station in Pennsylvania. Veterans served all over the world and should be able to obtain a college degree without the added costs of out-of state rates.  House Bill 1164 will allow veterans to maximize their 36 months of educational benefits.  Due to a higher volume of class sizes on college campuses and the short time frame of benefits, veterans don’t always obtain a college degree in four years.  Athletes and other students receiving priority class registration; why don’t veterans?  Veterans, with families or other obligations, may only be able to take a few classes in the semester.  If they wish to switch their academic major they might have to take extra classes which will result in not receiving their degree in four years.  Veterans should not have to take out unnecessary loans and aid. 

The goal of this petition is to show the importance of this bill to members of the Pennsylvania Senate in hopes that they will vote in favor of this bill, so it goes into effect so veterans can have this benefit by the Spring of 2014.

Each year veterans transition from the military and enter into college campuses across Pennsylvania in overwhelming proportions. In 2010, there were approximately 22,000 veterans utilizing benefits, with 12,000 of them using Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits alone. The Post 9/11 GI was advocated for by Veteran Service Organizations, such as the VFW and American Legion, but probably most notably by student veterans throughout the nation, who traveled to D.C. and met with members of Congress to ensure that this bill was adopted. The bill was designed so that every veteran could receive a college education, not just part of one.

This legislation should encourage higher education institutions to recruit veterans throughout the country, who provide diversity, leadership, and a commitment to learn. By supporting veterans academically and exposing veterans to career opportunities, higher education institutions play a pivotal role in ensuring that veterans provide an added economic value to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. We should work to enroll, sustain, and graduate and get as many veterans job as possible—that is the true meaning of a “Veteran Friendly” institution.

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