The
American
egion se WASHINGTON OFFICE x 1608 STREET, NE # WASHINGTON, 0.C. 20006
(22) 2602986
December 10, 2015
The Honorable Kyrsten Sinema
United States House of Representatives
1530 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Dear Representative Sinema,
On behalf of the over 2 million members of The American Legion, I would like to express support
for the Servicemember Higher Education Protection Act. This legislation, as written, would
update and improve current law by aligning definitions and streamlining existing processes in
order to create a better system of support for service members and veterans pursuing higher
education,
In 2008, according to the National Center for Education Statistics, the average cumulative amount
of student debt for service members who graduated from college was $25,566. According to a
Consumer Financial Protection Board report, The Next Front, many service members accrue
thousands of dollars in excess debt because they are guided into bad repayment decisions by loan
servicers whom they rely on for advice. This bill would work to ensure military families have
better information about resources and invoking their protections on student loans, help to improve
the student loan system, improve support for service members and veterans on campus, and ensure
that service members who take out student loans are provided the full benefits Servicemembers
Civil Relief Act affords them.
The American Legion’s Resolution No.31: Support and Strengthen the Servicemembers Civil
Relief Act, passed at the National Convention in Baltimore, MD in 2015, supports efforts to
streamline the complex and sometimes inconsistent process of student loan repayment.
Therefore, The American Legion supports the Servicemember Higher Education Protection Act
and applauds your leadership in addressing this critical issue facing our nation’s service members
and veterans.
Respectfully,
Der
BARNETT
National Commander