Sponsors (3)
The bill increases and indexes Post-9/11 GI Bill book and supply stipends to protect veterans' purchasing power, while increasing federal spending and potential budgetary pressures.
Post-9/11 GI Bill recipients (veterans) will receive higher book and supply stipends beginning in FY2026, increasing the cash benefits available for education-related expenses.
Indexing stipends to the CPI-U preserves the purchasing power of education-related benefits over time, reducing the need for veterans to pay rising book and supply costs out-of-pocket.
Taxpayers and the federal budget will face higher ongoing costs because increased and inflation-indexed stipends raise VA education program spending, which could create budgetary pressure or require offsets elsewhere.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Increases and indexes certain Post-9/11 GI Bill stipends for books, supplies, equipment, and related educational costs annually to CPI-U beginning FY2026.
Increases the dollar amounts paid for books, supplies, equipment, and other educational costs under the Post-9/11 GI Bill beginning in fiscal year 2026 and requires those amounts to be adjusted each year for inflation. The Secretary of Veterans Affairs must apply an annual percentage increase equal to the year-over-year change in the U.S. City Average CPI-U (for the 12-month period ending June 30) and round adjustments to the nearest dollar.
Introduced March 24, 2026 by Martin Heinrich · Last progress March 24, 2026