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HR 5634119th CongressIn Committee
Veterans Flight Training Responsibility Act of 2025
Introduced: Sep 30, 2025
Sponsor: Rep. Kean, Thomas H. [R-NJ-7] (R-New Jersey)
EducationVeterans Affairs
Standard Summary
Comprehensive overview in 1-2 paragraphs
The Veterans Flight Training Responsibility Act of 2025 would add a new limit on the Post-9/11 GI Bill educational benefits that can be paid specifically for flight training when the student attends a public college or university offering a flight program. The bill sets an initial cap of $100,000 for flight training fees, with annual increases tied to the Consumer Price Index (CPI). The cap applies to individuals who begin a flight training program at a public institution on or after August 1, 2026. The change is codified as a new subsection (m) to 38 U.S.C. §3313(g)(3)(C) and uses a “notwithstanding” clause to ensure the limit applies, subject to the CPI-based increases.
Key Points
- 1Cap on flight training benefits: The maximum total amount payable under the Post-9/11 Educational Assistance Program for flight training fees when pursuing a program at a public institution of higher learning is $100,000 (as increased under the CPI-based mechanism).
- 2Annual inflation adjustment: The cap increases each fiscal year by a percentage equal to the year-over-year change in the Consumers Price Index (CPI) for all items (U.S. city average), measured using specific 12-month periods described in the bill.
- 3Scope of the limit: The cap applies specifically to flight training fees for programs offered by public institutions of higher learning. It does not state that the limit applies to other types of education costs or to flight training at private institutions.
- 4Applicability date: The amendments apply to individuals who first pursue a flight training program on or after August 1, 2026.
- 5Legislative mechanism: The bill adds new subsection (m) to 38 U.S.C. §3313(g)(3)(C) and uses a “notwithstanding” provision to set the cap, making it the controlling rule for the covered flight training costs within the Post-9/11 program.
Impact Areas
Primary group/area affected: Veterans and service members using the Post-9/11 GI Bill to pay for flight training at public colleges/universities, beginning on or after August 1, 2026.Secondary group/area affected: Public higher education institutions that offer flight training programs (and their administrators) and VA education benefits staff who administer the Post-9/11 program.Additional impacts: Potential budgetary impact on VA’s education benefits program (due to a predictable cap and inflation indexing), potential shifts in where veterans enroll for flight training (favoring or avoiding public programs based on cost and cap effects), and possible implications for private flight schools if veterans adjust choices to maximize benefits. The bill does not address flight training at private institutions, so those costs may continue under existing rules or be borne privately unless further legislation changes.
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