Through its First Responder Program, Benedictine University is offering free tuition for Illinois armed forces veterans, active and Reserve, returning from service in Iraq and Afghanistan. Illinois veterans who participate in this program will be able to pursue an associate of arts in business administration or a Bachelor of Arts in management degree at no tuition cost. For more information, contact Autumn Lynumn at 630-829-6126 or Heena I. Jeelani at 630-829-1385 or visit the Benedictine University website.
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Free Tuition for Illinois Veterans
Week of August 18, 2008
VA Opens More Community-Based Vet Centers
Yesterday, the Department of Veterans’ Affairs announced the opening of an additional 39 Community-Based Vet Centers by fall of 2009 to assist combat veterans with readjustment counseling, including screening and counseling for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Three of the new centers will be in Illinois. Currently, 232 community outreach centers exist, offering counseling on employment, family issues and education to combat veterans and their family members, as well as bereavement counseling for families of service members killed on active duty and counseling for veterans who were sexually harassed on active duty. Vet Center services are available at no cost to veterans who experienced combat during any war era.
House Passes Measure to Assist Low-Income Veterans with Housing
The House passed a bill (H.R. 3299) that would require the government to provide 20,000 rental housing vouchers each year to homeless veterans. H.R. 3299 would authorize $200 million in fiscal year (FY) 2008 for the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) programs, and require HUD to maintain a constant funding level to meet rising home costs. In addition, the bill would authorize grants to nonprofit organizations that sponsor housing projects for veterans earning less than 50 percent of the median income in an area or assist veterans in obtaining housing or applying for HUD programs. The Administration has threatened to veto H.R. 3299 saying it would replicate successful programs already in effect.
Senate Appropriations Committee Approves FY 2009 Funding for Veterans Affairs
The Senate Appropriations Committee approved the FY 2009 spending bill for Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, including $48 billion in discretionary spending for Veterans Affairs (VA). Under the bill, $41 billion would go to fund veterans health care services, including $250 million to initiate a new health outreach program for veterans in rural areas. The measure also provides $5 million for outreach and transitional assistance to women veterans as well as $24.7 billion for military construction, family housing and BRAC. In addition, the bill includes $1.3 billion for Guard and Reserve facilities.
Veteran Affairs
· The Senate Veterans Affairs Committee will hold an oversight hearing on the Veterans Affairs response to members of the National Guard and Reserves returning from war: Wednesday, July 23 at 9:30 a.m., 418 Russell Building.
