TUCSON— This week, the Department of Veterans Affairs announced that it will allow for-profit colleges that have repeatedly deceived veterans to register them once again, giving these entities access to GI Bill funds. Last year, the Federal Trade Commission penalized numerous for-profit colleges for their deceptive recruitment practices targeting veterans. Last March, the VA forbid the enrollment of veteran students to these institutions and effectively cut off their access to GI Bill benefits.

“Time and time again, we’ve seen predatory for-profit colleges stoop to new lows to deceive vulnerable student veterans,” said Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva. “Instead of providing them with a valuable education; they take their benefits, leave them with useless degrees, and saddle them with large amounts of debt. The Trump Administration continues to green light this rampant fraud and repeatedly sides with these unscrupulous institutions over our student veterans. It’s nothing short of shameful.”

Last year, the Trump Administration sided with the for-profits against student veterans when it vetoed a bipartisan bill that would have provided relief to defrauded student veterans. Secretary DeVos has repeatedlyreferred to Obama-era rules meant to help defrauded students borrowers as ‘free money.’

“Our veterans did not serve this country abroad only to be defrauded once they return home,” continued Rep. Grijalva. “The Trump Administration needs to stop writing the rules to benefit their for-profit friends and should instead utilize them to protect our students.”

Congressman Grijalva has previously introduced the Protecting Financial Aid for Students and Taxpayers Act which amends the Higher Education Opportunity Act to prohibit an institution of higher education or postsecondary educational institution from using revenues derived from federal educational assistance funds for recruiting or marketing activities.