RICHMOND, Va. -- Virginia Senate and House Democrats came to an agreement Tuesday on the Virginia Military Survivors and Dependents Education Program (VMSDEP) that they say will rollback controversial limits to the program that outraged hundreds of veterans and their families.
The proposed legislation will fully repeal changes to the program, as well as provide $90 million for any costs. Chair of the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee Louise Lucas and House Appropriation Chair Luke Torian made the announcement in a joint statement.
Sen. Lucas, who has faced direct criticism from VMSDEP advocates throughout the process, released the following statement regarding the resolution:
House and Senate leadership previously agreed to a Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC) study, and JLARC committed to the study on Monday. This study and the allocation of what will now be $65 million per year for the program provides me with the comfort that we will not place the burden of the escalating costs of the program on other students through their tuition charges. Making education affordable for all students is a priority for us all. The JLARC study and our select workgroup on VMSDEP will provide us with the answers we need to ensure this program will be sustainable long-term to serve veterans and their families.
Governor Glen Youngkin wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, that the agreement was good news for the veteran community.
"A full, clean repeal with additional financial support for the VMSDEP program, unencumbered by any other provisions, is great news for our military heroes, first responders, and their families," Youngkin wrote.
Prior to Tuesday's agreement, families of veterans and fallen first responders who utilized the program said they felt lost in a political haze.
VMSDEP provides tuition waivers to family members of veterans who died or were disabled in service and families of fallen first responders. Recipients have been raising alarm about a slew of cost-cutting measures in the state budget they say will gut the program.
After hours of discussion in the Virginia Senate on Monday, lawmakers failed to advance any vehicle that would repeal those measures — something leaders across the political spectrum have said they remain committed to doing.
The political finger-pointing following the Senate's inaction was intense, leaving families counting on the program in limbo.
"We are living a political nightmare, Groundhog Day, right now," said Kayla Owen, the founder of Friends of VMSDEP whose husband is a disabled veteran, after the session ended. “We have no idea what is happening from here on out. It’s completely disingenuous that this many people would show up to have their voice heard only to be told your voice isn’t good enough yet again.”
The program boomed in popularity after eligibility expansion was approved by the state in 2019. At that time, there were around 1,400 participants in the program, and state researchers said more than 8,000 are expected to utilize it this year.
Lawmakers put language in the state budget — approved by the General Assembly and signed by Governor Glenn Youngkin — that limited who could benefit from the program and added extra steps as to who could access it, citing concerns from universities about ballooning costs tied to the 2019 expansion.
The cost of the program is expected to reach more than $85 million this year, state researchers said. Virginia colleges and universities make up the lost revenues from the waivers in various ways, including raising costs for other students, lawmakers said.
The changes to VMSDEP include a Virginia residency requirement, limiting use of the program to one undergraduate degree, and requiring participants to use other forms of financial aid before the VMSDEP benefits kick in.
Advocates and program recipients have said for weeks that Virginia is ripping away benefits promised to families whose loved ones made incredible sacrifices for their fellow Americans.
"I, like many others, feel like yet another thing has been ripped out from under our feet just as the lives and vitality of our parents have been," said Lauren Fenty, whose father was killed in combat.
Senate Democratic leaders rolled out their latest proposal Monday, which would repeal most of the eligibility limits except one requiring students meet satisfactory academic progress standards.
Senator Scott Surovell raises constitutional concerns with how the VMSDEP repeal bill that passed the House of Delegates last week was written.
“We’ve been concerned from the beginning that the popularity and growth of the program has jeopardized its long-term financial viability for those who really need it," Surovell said.
The "full repeal" previously passed the Democratic-lead House of Delegates and is backed by Republicans and VMSDEP advocates. Senate Democrats voted to "pass by: the House bill in the Senate Finance Committee Monday, meaning it never reached the full Senate for a vote.
"People have had their rights stripped away by legislating through the budget. This is a very dangerous precedent, not only for veterans, any vulnerable group in Virginia, it’s dangerous for people across the country," Owens said Monday evening. "I think the veteran community nationally is looking at what is Virginia doing. If this can be stripped away, what other things can be taken away at a moment's notice, and what is it we can actually rely on."
Lucas and Torian said the Virginia House and Senate will return to take action on their bills on July 18th.
This is a developing story, so anyone with more information can email newstips@wtvr.com to send a tip.
