Government Affairs
The mission of SVA’s Government Affairs Department is to shape policy proposals and regulations on behalf of veterans in pursuit of career advancement through higher education.
Supporting Student Veterans
Our team works closely with Congress and the federal government to promote forward-looking policies that will help veterans get the education they need to thrive in the modern workforce. Our robust work focuses on a myriad of issues, and we prepare analyses of a wide variety of proposals concerning matters that impact veterans in higher education. As subject matter experts on higher education and veterans policy, Congress and senior government officials frequently call on our team to deliver testimony regarding topics facing student veterans. Our primary focus is the success of student veterans, and we achieve a high level of influence through consistent liaison with Congress, relevant organizations and associations, industry, and others concerned with proposed and pending policies.
Advising Decision-Makers
The majority of our team maintains a focus on issues of strategic-level importance. Typically, the team spends its time working on national policy within the executive and legislative branches. We have strong ties with relevant committees in the House and Senate, with a conscious emphasis on keeping a bipartisan agenda. Our team works at every level within the Executive Branch, from the on-the-ground program manager, up through cabinet-level decision-makers. Though our work primarily has a national focus, we often track issues that arise at the state and campus level as well. We encourage student veterans to reach out to us for support regarding any policy issues for which we can provide support.
Maintaining Strategic Influence
Among the many topics we focus on, our team has testified on the Transition Assistance Program (TAP), student debt, and Veteran Success on Campus program (VSOC); we have advised the administration on the GI Bill Comparison Tool, intergovernmental policy such as the agreement with the Federal Trade Commission, and numerous proposals affecting the Post-9/11 GI Bill. We are constantly informing and advocating for new legislation that may positively impact a student veterans’ quality of life while keeping our community informed about changes in laws and regulations. Our work includes advocating on behalf of policy and legislative improvements that enhance topics such as:
- Investment & Impact of the GI Bill
- STEM Education Pathways
- In-State Tuition, Student Debt, Accessibility, and Priority Enrollment for Student Veterans
- Compliance, Credits, and Credentialing
Recent Congressional Testimony
- Identifying Congressional and Administration Priorities for the Next Congress (December 8, 2020)
- Moving Beyond Patchwork Systems: The Future of Education Services IT (September 16, 2020)
- Pending Legislation (March 10, 2020)
- Legislative Priorities of 2020 (March 3, 2020)
- Pending Legislation (February 6, 2020)
- Further Examining GI Bill Implementation Effort (November 19, 2019)
- Pending Legislation (July 19, 2020)
- Economic Wellbeing of Women Veterans (July 10, 2019)
- Pending Legislation (May 22, 2019)
- FY2020 President’s Budget (April 30, 2019)
- Pending Legislation (April 9, 2019)
- Legislative Priorities (March 7, 2019)
VFW-SVA Legislative Fellowship
This fellowship provides 10 exemplary VFW members who are student veterans the opportunity to make their voices heard on Capitol Hill and in their community.