Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV), applauded the Senate passage of his bill, the Veteran STEM Scholarship Improvement Act. This legislation, which passed the House of Representatives in June, will expand the GI Bill for Veterans seeking careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM). The bill changes the hourly requirements for student Veterans earning STEM degrees to help them fully utilize their scholarships.

“It is great to see the Senate and the House of Representatives pass this important legislation to expand GI Bill programs for STEM Veteran students so they can take full advantage of their hard-earned scholarships. GI Bill programs are a small way to thank our Veterans for defending our freedoms and sacrificing so much for our country. I am proud to have introduced this legislation with Senator Cornyn and am proud to see it pass the Senate today and head to President Trump’s desk for signing,” said Senator Manchin.  

“West Virginia University applauds the passage of the Veteran STEM Scholarship Improvement Act and appreciates the efforts of Senators Manchin and Cornyn on this legislation. When this measure is enacted into law, over 200 student veterans at WVU will have the opportunity to complete their STEM degrees or related teaching certification without having to find alternative financial resources. Not only is this a win for our student veterans, but also for our nation by incentivizing more veterans to pursue STEM professions,” said Jerry Wood, Director, Center for Veteran, Military and Family Programs at West Virginia University.