NATIONWIDE — The recently signed into law Responsible Education Mitigating Options and Technical Extensions Act (REMOTE Act) extends certain COVID-19 protections to students utilizing GI Bill benefits.
The law, signed by Pres. Joe Biden on Dec. 21, 2021, extends certain protections to students utilizing their GI Bill benefits between Dec. 21, 2021 through June 1, 2022. One of the key protections is that students who attend a course which was converted to an online training format due to COVID-19 will continue getting paid the resident rate, may continue online training, and will be able to receive the resident base housing rate through the June 1 date.
According to a release sent by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to students utilizing the benefits, the law provides for the following:
- Authorizing a “rounding out” of which will allow students to enroll in classes for more than half-time status while receiving monthly housing allowance (MHA) payments during the student’s final semester/term/academic period.
- Extend COVID-19 protections included in the Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe, M.D. Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020 (PL 116-315) from December 21, 2021, to June 1, 2022.
The VA stated that there is nothing in which students utilizing the GI Bill needs to do at this time. Additionally, students may receiving a letter that notes an expiration date of Dec. 21, 2021 while the VA updates its systems. However, students are advised to disregard it.
For more information, visit the VA’s website or its COVID-19 Student FAQs. Additionally, students can call the VA’s Education Call Center at (888) 442-4551. The Center is open Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. CT and closed on federal holidays.