Virginia's House of Delegates and state Senate are at odds about how to fund an education benefit for the families of veterans.
The House of Delegates is moving forward with a funding model that's more generous to vets and their families. The Senate has a scaled down version aimed at making sure the program remains economically viable. On Friday, members of the House of Delegates were in Richmond to vote on their version of the bill.
"Well, I do not have a message to give to the Senate. They are their own body, and they make their own decisions," says House Appropriations Chair Luke Torian. "What will happen now – we will send House Bill 6003 over to the Senate and wait for them to act on it."
Katrina Frye of Salem is an Army veteran whose son might be able to receive benefits depending on which version of the program is funded.
"They picked on the wrong group of people. Veterans, we stick together," Frye says. "We are from all the branches. We are from all over the state. And this was a promise given to us. This is something we have earned. It is not something that should be so lightly taken away."
The state Senate will be back in Richmond on Monday, and families of veterans here at the Capitol say they hope senators consider approving the approach taken by the House.
This report, provided by Virginia Public Radio, was made possible with support from the Virginia Education Association.
